Critical Hit: Johto Journey
by Moon Lily91
Summary: Ethan and Lyra have never set foot beyond New Bark Town. However, they get the chance of a lifetime when they get their first Pokemon. With a tsundere rival, glitched Pokedexes, and Team Rocket's return, it's going to be a long adventure ahead of them. ON HIATUS
1. Prologue

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Prologue

He ran with every ounce of strength he had, knowing that he wouldn't be safe until he reached Pewter City. And even when he arrived in Pewter, he could only stay momentarily before having to move on again. His right hand felt over his jacket pocket, making sure that the three pokéballs in it were there. He had heard that Professor Oak sometimes had rare Pokémon that he gave out to new trainers, and he had broken into the lab and took all three of them. He wasn't going to settle for anything less, and he sure wasn't foolish enough to pass up such an opportunity. He patiently waited until all the scientists—for some reason, Oak wasn't there—had locked up the lab and gone home, which was at nightfall.

The alarms went off when he broke in, but it only took a couple seconds to take the pokéballs on a desk. He could already imagine the great fame, success, and strength he'll have, and these three Pokémon were the ticket there. Soon, everyone will know Silver's name, and he'll be far greater than his father ever was. His eyes looked up to see the path out of Pallet Town, a smirk appearing on his face that he was so easily taking the Pokémon. However, that thought tempted fate, and it came in the form of a Pidgeot landing between him and his way out. A girl jumped off the back of the great bird, holding her hand up in a "stop" gesture. She was wearing a white knit sweater over a blue V-collar shirt with a black undershirt underneath, and light blue shorts with thigh-high black socks and white shoes. She carried a worn out yellow bag, long brown hair under a white hat on her head.

"Hold it right there," she said to him as he ran toward her. "You're going to have to return those Pokémon and—"

He ran right past her, her Pidgeot looking at her with disappointment. If a bird could sigh, he would have been doing that.

"Holy smokes! That kid is fast," she said, watching him run through the tall grass. "But I bet he's not as fast as Terra."

Silver continued running, not sure what was up with that girl. As he ran through another patch of grass, the earth beneath him disappeared, and he fell into a hole. He landed pretty hard at the bottom, but the hole was, fortunately, not very deep. He looked up, seeing a Dugtrio watching him intently.

"Good job, Terra," said a familiar voice. Silver watched as the girl from earlier stood beside the Dugtrio, looking down into the hole.

"I'll get you out, okay," she said, returning the Dugtrio to its pokéball. "But you're going to have to give back those Pokémon you stole. They're for the new trainers coming by the lab tomorrow."

She reached into her bag, taking out a rope and tossing one end of it to Silver. She held on to the rope as he climbed up, until he was safely on the surface.

"The Pokémon, please," she said, her hand outstretched to accept the pokéballs. "I put a lot of work into breeding those—"

Silver swung at her, but she side-stepped and grabbed his arm. Next thing he knew, his body was pulled and slammed down into the ground, landing on his back and knocking the air out of him.

"I'm sorry about that," said the girl, giving him a concerned look. "You were about to hit me, and I acted out of instinct."

"How… Were you able… To do that," asked Silver breathlessly, his head hurting a bit from hitting the ground.

"I took a lot of Judo classes. I didn't want to, but my boyfriend pushed me to signing up for them. Two or three years from now, I think I'll get my black belt, but I'm going to have to work very hard to get it."

She offered her hand to help him up, but Silver sat up on his own, his back aching. He managed to get to his feet, regaining his breath at last. The girl looked at him expectantly, and he knew he had met his match. There was no telling what kind of Pokémon she had, and she could just as easily beat him down. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the three pokéballs he'd stolen, begrudgingly handing them to her. She happily took them, putting them away in her bag, and smiled at him.

"Say, you look like you need a place to sleep," she said, bringing a hand to her chin thoughtfully. "Do you want to come with me to Viridian City? I can get you something to eat, too."

Despite how much Silver wanted to decline the offer and leave, his body was saying otherwise. The Pokémon Centers only offered beds and rooms to trainers, and getting decent meals was very difficult. He didn't have a single dollar on him, and the last thing he ate was a candy bar he stole this morning. For now, he'll have to take advantage of what this girl was offering. He gave a small nod, and she grinned at his acceptance.

"Great! Let's get going then," she said, pointing in the direction to Viridian City. "I'm Leaf. What's your name?"

"Silver," he replied as they followed the path to the nearby city.

"Like Mt. Silver?"

"Yes."

"Nice to meet you, Silver. I hope we'll be really good friends someday."

Silver resisted the overwhelming urge to scoff at the idea. Really, being friends with someone like her wasn't going to make him any stronger. It didn't take very long for him to regret coming along with her. They eventually arrived in Viridian City, and Silver did his best to not reminisce of his past. Viridian was just one of many cities in Kanto he stayed in to try to support himself. He looked down, staring at the back of Leaf's shoes as she walked ahead of him. She came to stop, forcing Silver to look up. To his surprise, they were standing in front of Viridian Gym, feelings of anger flooding into Silver. Was this girl trying to taunt him or something?

The sliding glass doors of the gym opened, and Leaf walked inside, beckoning Silver to come inside. He hesitantly stepped in, seeing the remodeled interior.

"Blue," called out Leaf, waving her hand up in the air to the gym leader at the other side of the room. Silver watched as he flipped the switches on the wall near him, the colored arrows in the tiles on the floor fading to black. Leaf walked eagerly to the gym leader, who met her halfway. She almost threw herself at him, her arms around his neck as she smiled up at him. Blue, who was much taller than her, looked a little uncomfortable but hugged her back.

"Blue, are you ready to go home? It's really late already," said Leaf, pulling away from him a little.

"Heh, the night's only beginning, especially for what I have planned for you once we get back," he said, pulling her close by the waist.

"Actually, Blue, there's someone I want you to meet."

Leaf pulled away from Blue's embrace, looking back at Silver and waving him over. Silver reluctantly walked over, discontent with the situation he was in. He really didn't want to be anywhere near Viridian's gym leader. It wasn't against Blue himself, but the title of gym leader. It just brought too many unpleasant memories for Silver.

"Who's this," asked Blue, his eyes sizing up the younger boy.

"Blue," began Leaf, putting her hand on his upper arm. "You're the father."

"Bullshit."

Leaf laughed, Silver looking away with annoyance. Now he was _really_ regretting taking up on her offer a couple minutes ago.

"This is Silver," said Leaf, introducing him. "He's going to stay with us tonight. You don't mind, right?"

"It's all right, I guess," replied Blue, giving a small shrug. "Just as long as he doesn't interrupt us."

Leaf sighed, looking at Silver with an apologetic look.

"Don't mind him," she explained. "Blue can be an idiot sometimes."

"It takes an idiot to know an idiot," retorted Blue, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Good job insulting yourself."

It took Blue a few seconds to realize what she meant.

"Ugh, I can't believe I walked in on that," he said, covering his forehead with his hand.

"You know that I'm only teasing," laughed Leaf, her playful tone annoying Silver.

"Can we go already," asked Silver, doing all he could to keep his voice even. Leaf nodded, and the three of them walked out of the gym. Blue locked up the building once they were outside. Silver followed them to wherever they were taking him, which was an apartment complex. Silver recognized the building, knowing that the apartments were the largest—they were practically suites—and the most expensive in the city. He wasn't all too surprised that Blue would live here. Or did Leaf live with him, too? From the way they looked at each other and interacted, it was safe to assume they were together. Or maybe they were just very friendly and flirty with the other. Either way, they were both annoying to him.

They entered the building and took the elevator to the top floor, where Blue's apartment was. Leaf dug through her bag and took out some keys, unlocking the door. That confirmed that she lived with Blue. Then again, he could have just given her a spare key to visit him anytime. Silver sighed inaudibly, wondering why he was thinking about something so moronic. What did it matter if she lived with him or not?

"Do you want me to take your jacket," asked Leaf to Silver as they entered the complex.

"Yeah, here you go," said Blue, unzipping his own jacket and handing it to her.

"Not you! I was talking to Silver," she said, throwing his jacket back at him. "Now go in the kitchen and find something to eat for our guest."

Blue gave an annoyed look but went to the kitchen, grumbling about something as he put his black jacket back on. An Eevee, who was sleeping on the couch, jumped off from her sleeping place to greet her owner, following Blue into the kitchen. Leaf looked at Silver, her question still unanswered. Silver shook his head in response.

"Leaf, we have to go grocery shopping," said Blue from the kitchen, prompting Leaf to join him. "All we have is ramen."

A gasp came from Leaf, piquing Silver's curiosity as to what it was that made her do so. He walked over to the kitchen, seeing a pile of dishes in the sink, crumbs on the floor, and many stains on the table and counters.

"Blue! Don't you clean up when I'm gone," asked Leaf, looking as if a murder had been committed. Her face slowly grew red from embarrassment at the mess.

"Hey, when I get home, I'm really tired, so don't get on my case about cleaning. Besides, why should I clean when I have you to do that," explained Blue, earning a glare from Leaf.

"Keep it up, Blue. You're really close to making me lock you out of the room and have you sleep on the couch."

"I was just kidding! I didn't know you were coming over today. I would have cleaned up if I knew."

"I'm sorry, Silver," said Leaf, turning to look at Silver. "Apparently, I live with a hobo who loves to roll around in his own filth. But I hope ramen is okay for today."

"A hobo wouldn't be able to afford a place like this," countered Blue, obviously annoyed by the insult.

"So you admit to rolling around in your own filth?"

"I don't do that!"

Leaf shrugged a little, grabbing a roll of paper towels and using a sheet to quickly clean up the table. She gestured Silver to sit down, which he did. Leaf walked over to the stove, which also had its own stains, and picked up the tea kettle, filling it up with water from the sink. The dishes got in the way a bit, forcing her to move them out of the way so she could fill the kettle with water. She set the flame on the stove, placing the kettle over it, and gave Blue a displeased stare.

"Blue, start doing the dishes," she said, pointing at the sink.

"Why do I have to do the dishes? Can't I just clean the counters or something?"

"Stop complaining and do the dishes already!"

"Then you have to do some sweeping!"

"I was about to do that! Unlike you, I don't like being in a dirty place."

"I've been really busy lately, damn it!"

"Excuses."

Silver suppressed a sigh, already planning to go to sleep right after he was done eating. These two were too much for him. They were loud and argued a lot. Almost every conversation he's heard between them was some kind of argument. Just being in their presence took a lot of energy out of him. He was beginning to regret stealing those Pokémon from Oak's lab. If he'd known it would lead to this, he would have gone somewhere else. He made sure to leave right after he got some sleep. He couldn't stand being around them any longer.

Silver watched as Blue began to run the water in the sink and clean the dishes, Leaf grabbing a broom and dustpan from the pantry to start sweeping. She set them to the side, grabbing an old rag that was by the sink instead. She stood by Blue, wetting the rag and adding some soap to it. She started to properly clean the light-colored wooden table of the stains. She then set the rag by the sink and lifted the chairs around the table, except the one Silver was sitting on, on the table. The kettle then went off, and Leaf shut the flame off, pouring the boiling water into the ramen container. She set the bowl of ramen, along with some chopsticks, in front of Silver, and then looked under the sink, taking out a new sponge. With the new sponge, Leaf helped Blue wash the dishes.

Silver found it odd that, after all the fighting he's seen from them, they could actually get along fairly well. Not that it concerned him. He patiently waited for the noodles to soften from the hot water, his stomach growling eagerly to have some nutrition. The next three minutes were probably the longest three minutes in his life. Although, technically, they're still three minutes, it merely felt longer than that. When the three minutes were up, Silver grabbed the chopsticks and hungrily devoured the noodles. He heard a giggle from Leaf, his gray eyes glancing over at her. She was looking up at Blue, elbowing him lightly in the arm. Blue turned his head a bit, looking away from her.

"Say something, Blue," she said softly, probably trying to keep this conversation only to themselves.

"Something," replied Blue, scrubbing furiously at a pan with burnt food encrusted on it.

"You know that I didn't mean what I said."

"If you didn't mean it, then why did you say it in the first place?"

"'Cause it's fun to pick on you sometimes," she said playfully, causing Blue to finally look at her.

"That's really messed up, you know that?"

"Like you don't do the same to me."

"That's different. I'm only joking when I pick on you."

"And I am, too. It's the same."

Blue looked away, his pride keeping him from admitting that she was right. Leaf tugged at his jacket sleeve, her hand dripping with water. He ignored her, rinsing the pan with water. She grabbed at the collar of his jacket, pulling him close and placing a kiss on his cheek.

"I still love you," she said, letting go of his jacket.

"Hmph," was all Blue said, focusing on the dishes.

Silver quickly finished up the ramen, growing more uncomfortable being around Leaf and Blue. He threw away the plastic container of his food and the chopsticks in the closest trash can, which was already quite full.

"Oh, are you done eating, Silver," asked Leaf, looking over her shoulder at him. "I'll show you to your room so you can get some rest."

She grabbed a paper towel, quickly drying her hands as she led him through the living room and into the hallway. She opened the closest door to the right, revealing a bedroom within. A twin-sized bed with blue sheets and covers was in the left corner of the furthest wall, a nightstand with a digital clock right next to it. A small closet was across from the bed, a small table with a TV on it a few feet away. There wasn't much in this room, but it could be because it was a guest bedroom since Leaf implied that she and Blue shared a room.

"You can sleep here," said Leaf, stepping to the side to let him in. "I sometimes sleep in this room when I get tired of sharing a bed with Blue. Are you going to sleep now?"

"Yes," replied Silver, closing the door on her as soon as he was inside. He held the doorknob, seeing as there was no lock on this door, to keep her out should she try opening the door.

"Um, sleep well," he heard her say, footsteps heading away from the door. Silver slowly let go of the doorknob and walked over to the bed. He unzipped his jacket, hanging it on the bed post, and took off his shoes. He was too tired to care that he was going to sleep in his pants and shirt. Well, he wouldn't have cared either way. He was just about to go to sleep until a very annoying ringing snapped him back awake. It was coming from outside. He angrily got up from the bed, not at all appreciating the interruption. He opened the door only a few inches when it stopped.

"Hi, Gramps," said Leaf from the living room, causing Silver to close the door but keep it barely open to hear. "How is it in Johto? Mmhmm. It's really nice, isn't it? I really liked being over there when I was exploring it a long time ago."

"Who is she talking to," asked Silver in his mind. He thought for moment, and then realized that maybe she was talking on a Pokégear. He's heard about those things that serve as phones. Though, he could never afford to buy something like that, not when survival was his highest priority.

"How am I doing," asked Leaf after a brief silence. "I'm doing fine! Why? Oh… You heard about that? No, no. I handled everything so you don't have to worry. The new trainers will definitely get their Pokémon tomorrow."

Silver waited for what else she'd say, wondering if she'll say something about him. It was pretty obvious that whoever she was talking to knew about the break-in at the lab earlier.

"What will you be doing tomorrow," he heard Leaf ask. "I was hoping that you, Blue, Daisy, and I had dinner tomorrow… Oh, okay. No, it's fine. If you want to visit him, go ahead. I don't want to get in the way or anything. Oh, that reminds me! Professor Elm called for you earlier today. He wanted me to tell you that he got hold of some rare Pokémon. He said that he's thinking of giving them out to new trainers just like you do."

Silver's eyes widened at that. So, there was another professor who had rare Pokémon… He doubted the chances that more experienced trainers would reside in wherever this professor lived in. Still, it was likely as his run-in with Leaf clearly showed.

"All right. Blue and I hope to see you back home soon. But, have fun in Johto, okay? You really need the time off," said Leaf with a laugh. "Okay… Bye."

Silver closed the door, quietly walking back to the bed. He laid on it, carefully planning what he had to do tomorrow. He'd have to get up early so no one would know where he went. He also needs to find out where Professor Elm lived. He fell asleep in the middle of his thoughts, his exhaustion finally getting the better of him.

He woke up with a small jump, his eyes scanning the unfamiliar room. It took a couple seconds to remember he was staying in the apartment of Leaf and Blue. He looked over at the clock on the night stand, which read 6:03. He got up and put his shoes on, knowing that now was the time to leave. He grabbed his jacket, putting it on as he quietly walked to the door. He carefully opened it, hoping that it wouldn't creak or make any noise. He opened it enough to slip through, his ears straining for the smallest noises. There was only silence. Silver stepped into the living room, his eyes quickly glancing at the now spotless kitchen. He opened the door of the apartment and went out, knowing that he probably won't see Leaf or Blue again. And that was a great relief to him.

The first he had to do was find out where Professor Elm lived. Then he'll have to figure out a way to get there. He put his hands in his jacket pockets, preparing for the long day ahead of him. He felt a bundle of paper in his right pocket, and he was sure that wasn't there before. He pulled it out, seeing that it was actually money. He began to count it, coming to a total of $3000. How did…? It must have been Leaf. Only she'd be dumb enough to care about a total stranger. Though she was very annoying to be with, Silver was glad that he took advantage of her offer, and the money she gave him was a big bonus. Maybe he should use her again sometime in the future.

* * *

><p>"Kris! When are we going to get our Pokégears," asked an impatient Ethan. He was wearing blue pants with a black shirt, a baseball cap, which was backwards, on his head. It was midday, the sun's rays were at its strongest. Lyra, who was wearing a light blue skirt and white shirt, fanned herself with her own hand. Kris wore red shorts with a sky blue shirt, her dark hair up in a ponytail to keep her hair off her neck. The three friends were by the bay, dipping their feet in the water to cool themselves.<p>

"You'll have them by tomorrow," replied Kris, watching Marill swim around close by. "My dad is just doing some final tune-ups."

"Of course," began Lyra, her brown eyes glancing at Ethan. "We wouldn't need to have our Pokégears fixed if _somebody_ didn't push me into the water."

"You started it first," said Ethan, pointing at the girl next to him. "You started poking me, and I poked you back. But you got all mad and started pushing me. I pushed you back, and you fell in the water. And you oh-so conveniently pulled me in when you were falling."

"I didn't want to be the only one with a ruined Pokégear," stated Lyra, kicking water with her legs. "But I'm sure Kris's dad will have them fixed before we get our Pokémon tomorrow. Professor Elm sure is really nice to give us our first Pokémon!"

"Second," corrected Kris, referring to herself.

"Yeah, but I can't believe it's just for a freaking errand," said Ethan, staring at the water further out. "Eh, but at least we'll be able to see Cherrygrove and stuff."

"I wonder what the Pokémon will look like," mused Lyra, lifting one leg out of the water and staring at her foot. "I want the cutest one there!"

"Actually, I've already seen the Pokémon," said Kris, earning surprised looks from Ethan and Lyra.

"What? Really? What do they look like? Tell me, tell me! Please?"

"Let's see… One is light green with a huge leaf on its head. I think that one is the cutest of the three. Cute for Lyra, that is. Another one is dark blue and cream with flames on its back. It's pretty cute, too, with its squinty eyes. The last one is blue with sharp teeth. That one is cute in a weird way to me."

"Oh! Oh! I want the green one! I want it so bad! It sounds so adorable!"

"Sounds like a total chick magnet," said Ethan, a crafty smirk on his face. "If I have that Pokémon, the girls will be all over me."

"You better not, Ethan! I already called it!"

"So? That Pokémon doesn't have your name on it!"

"I'm going to wake up extra early to get it first! You can count on it!"

"Kris, which one are you getting?"

"It doesn't really matter to me," said Kris, looking up at the clouds. "I mean, you're getting a chance to make a new friend. And I think that's what matters most."

"Wow, Kris," said Lyra, obviously impressed. "That's really deep."

"Yeah," agreed Ethan, peering over to see Kris chuckle. "See, Lyra? It shouldn't matter what the Pokémon you pick looks like because it's going to be your friend either way."

"But, I still want the cute one. Then I can dress it up in little costumes so we can cosplay together. Besides, a cute girl like me deserves a cute Pokémon."

Kris laughed as her Marill jumped into her lap, splashing water on everyone. Ethan looked at his reflection in the water, impatient for tomorrow. At last, he can go beyond New Bark Town, even if it was just an errand, which will probably be over within an hour at most. He'll be sure to make the most of that one hour.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Here it is! The next installment of "Critical Hit!" Oh, Silver, you little thief~ My little brother has this game called "Super Scribblenauts," which is a puzzle game where you write solutions to the problems. The words you type in manifest themselves in the game. An example would be that you type in "dog" and a dog appears in the game. Okay, so, one day, I was looking through the avatars you can purchase in the game in case I wanted to play as someone else besides the main character. I eventually got to one named "Thief" and I was shocked at what I saw. He looked like Silver. That's one hell of a coincidence, isn't it? Now it's a joke my brother and I sometimes mention.**_


	2. Setting Out on a Journey

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 1: The First Steps

Her eyelids slowly opened, the first thing she sees is the blurred image of a digital clock. She focused her eyes on the clock, which read 9:26. She immediately sat up, her brown eyes wide with shock.

"I slept in," she yelled with disbelief, scrambling out of bed. Her legs caught in the sheets, and she fell onto the floor with a loud crash. She quickly untangled herself from the sheets, getting up to examine her clock.

"Ack! I set it for p.m. instead of a.m.! Why didn't I see it sooner?"

"Lyra, is everything all right," said a gentle voice, causing Lyra to look at her door. It was her mother, holding folded clothes in her hands.

"Mom! I slept in! And I think Ethan took the Pokémon I wanted!"

"Well, maybe he didn't. Here, this is for you," said her mom, walking in and handing her daughter the clothes. "Kris wanted me to give you these clothes yesterday. I kind of forgot to give them to you."

Lyra looked up, wondering if she was picking up the scent of alcohol in her mom's breath. She mentally shook her head, figuring it was just her imagination.

"Thanks, mom! I'm going to try them on right now," she said, setting them on her bed. Her mother nodded, heading out her room. Lyra changed out of her pajamas and tried on the new clothes her friend gave her. However, as she put on the clothes, there was something about them that seemed kind of… Peculiar. It was when she secured the overalls and looked at her reflection in her full-body mirror did she realize what was oddly familiar about them.

"Mom," she yelled, running out of her room and heading downstairs. "I look like I'm cosplaying Mario!"

When she arrived downstairs, she saw her friend Kris standing beside her mother by the front door. Kris was wearing a red shirt with worn out pants, what she usually wore when helping her mom with the garage. From the corner of her eye, Lyra could see an opened bottle of wine and a glass half-full of the liquor. She tried to make it seem that she didn't see it.

"Kris, why did you get me these clothes," asked Lyra, pointing at her outfit.

"What? I thought you liked playing the Super Mario games," said Kris with a chuckle.

"That doesn't mean I want to cosplay as him!"

"But I thought otakus love to cosplay."

"No! Otakus love to stay home and read manga, watch anime, and play video games."

"Look on the bright side: Now you can dress up your green Pokémon like Luigi."

"Oh, my Arceus! You're right! It'd be the greatest cosplay between human and Pokémon ever."

"See? Oh, right, I came by to drop off your Pokégear. It's all fixed now! But, my dad couldn't save all your contacts on it," said Kris, handing Lyra her pink Pokégear.

"Aw… Well, that's okay. I'll just go ask everyone for their numbers again," she said, putting it in her pocket.

"So, you ready to get your first Pokémon?"

"You bet! Let me go get my bag and shoes. Then we can head over to Elm's lab!"

Lyra ran up the stairs, grabbing her bag from the computer chair. She opened up one of her drawers, taking out thigh-high white socks and slipping them on. She heard footsteps coming at her door, causing her to look up as she put her shoes on. Kris walked in, watching Lyra put her shoes on.

"You're not going to leave with your hair down, are you," asked Kris, putting her hands on her hips.

"Um, yeah, I kind of was," replied Lyra, slinging the strap of her bag over her shoulder.

"No, you're not," said Kris, gently pushing Lyra to the computer chair. "It's not good to have your hair down because it can get in your face, and that's going to be really annoying for you, especially with your short hair."

"It's not that short," protested Lyra as Kris grabbed a hairbrush that was laying on the nightstand next to Lyra's bed. "Besides, I look better with my hair down."

"Trust me, it's going to make a big difference for you," said Kris, brushing her friend's brown hair and separating it. Lyra sighed as she let Kris do her hair, wondering what kind of hairstyle she'd give her. She only hoped that Kris would give her something that looked nice. However, from the way Kris was pulling at her hair, she could already guess what she was doing.

"There! All done," said Kris, pulling the computer chair to the mirror.

"You gave me pig-tails," asked Lyra, tugging at her hair.

"Yeah! Now you look kind of like me," laughed Kris, motioning to her own pig-tails. "Let me go get that hat you haven't worn in a long time. I think it'd look good on you."

"But I haven't worn that in months! It's also out of style already."

"Well, then it's a good time to bring it back," she said, going through Lyra's closet. Lyra sighed again, knowing that Kris was never one to be into fashion. Despite that Lyra usually stayed home to watch her anime or read her manga, she made it a point to look good whenever she actually went out. She dreadfully looked at the clothes she was wearing, wondering why she was still wearing it. No, it wasn't right to frown upon the gift someone gave you, especially when they're one of your best friends. Besides, Lyra was confident that she could make this outfit work for her. Kris was standing behind her again, fixing the white hat in her hands. She placed it on Lyra's head, adjusting it so it fit nicely.

"Now you're ready," said Kris, admiring her work.

"Thanks, Kris," said Lyra, getting up and hugging her.

"No problem! How about we go over to Elm's now and get our Pokémon," she asked, pulling away from her a bit.

"Yeah! Let's do it," said Lyra enthusiastically.

Lyra and Kris headed out the room, walking back downstairs. Kris' Pokégear began to ring, and she answered it, seeing that it was her mother.

"What is it," she asked politely. "Oh… All right. I'll be heading over there right now."

She closed her Pokégear, giving Lyra a disappointed look.

"Sorry, Lyra. I have to get home and help my mom fix some guy's motorcycle. You go on ahead of me, okay? I'll catch up," she said, walking to the door. "I'll see you later!"

Lyra waved to her as she went outside. Her mom, who was sitting at the table with the glass of wine in her hand, got up and walked over to her daughter. She hugged her, holding the glass carefully to not spill a drop.

"Please, be careful, Lyra," she said, kissing her forehead. "You're my only baby."

"Mom, it's just an errand," laughed Lyra, smiling up at her mom. "It's not like I'm going on a trip that's going to take months. I'll be back soon."

Her mom nodded, pulling her hands away, a weary smile on her lips. Lyra said her goodbyes to her mom as she stepped out of her house. She walked over to Professor Elm's lab but stopped when she noticed something. There was what looked like a person's shadow by Elm's mailbox. She was quite curious to see who it was, so she walked around to find out. A boy with red hair was looking through the window of the lab, staring very intently. He was wearing a black jacket with red cuffs, and blue pants. Lyra couldn't help but wonder if he was into voyeurism.

"So this is the famous Elm Pokémon Lab," she heard him say as she quietly approached him. She was just about to ask him if he was new to the town when he suddenly turned his head to look at her.

"What are you staring at," he asked harshly.

"N-nothing. I was—"

He didn't let her finish, instead pushing her very roughly. Lyra wasn't expecting for him to do that, catching her off-guard and losing her balance. She fell back, landing on her butt. She quickly got back up, angered from his action. However, she calmed herself, figuring that someone like him wasn't worth her time. She proceeded to enter the lab, hoping that Ethan didn't wake up before she did.

"Hi, Lyra," called out Professor Elm once she entered the lab. "I've been waiting for you!"

"Really," she asked rather excitedly.

"Do you know about my research? As you know, Pokémon are carried in pokéballs these days. But before the pokéball was invented, people used to walk with Pokémon. Just like your friend Ethan does!"

"Wait! Does that mean Ethan already came by here?"

"Yes, he did. He came over about an hour ago. Strange… He should be back from the errand by now. Anyway, pokéballs are great because you can carry many Pokémon. But walking with Pokémon must have some advantages. It could have something to do with how Pokémon grow or evolve. So I'm going to give you a Pokémon! Can you walk beside this Pokémon, outside of its pokéball, to see if this brings any special feelings or bonds between Pokémon and people?"

"Of course! I've been waiting for this moment for a long time already!"

"I'm glad to hear that! The device over there has some Pokémon you could choose from," he said, pointing to a tall machine with two pokéballs in it. "If you don't mind, could you head over to the house of an acquaintance of mine? His name is Mr. Pokémon. I sent Ethan over there to pick up an egg, but he hasn't come back yet. I hope he didn't get lost."

"Thanks, professor! I'll go and find Ethan, wherever he is," said Lyra, walking up to the machine. "Um, professor? Did Ethan take a green Pokémon by any chance?"

"Yes, he did. Why do you ask?"

Lyra was covering her face with both hands, devastated that Ethan had taken the Pokémon she wanted. She quickly recovered, planning out what she must do next. If Ethan was going to play like that, then she'll pick the one that that's just as cute. She looked at the machine, seeing the Pokémon's names and images on a screen. She picked Cyndaquil, seeing that it was cuter compared to Totodile. As soon as she touched the pokéball, it opened, Cyndaquil jumping out of the ball. It looked up at her with a confused look.

"Hi, Cyndaquil," said Lyra, bending down to get a better look at the Fire-type Pokémon. "I'm Lyra! From this day on, you're my Pokémon. That means we'll be friends! Well, I hope so, that is."

Cyndaquil took a few steps back, unsure to trust the human before him or not. Lyra stood up, walking over to Professor Elm. Cyndaquil tentatively followed, its curiosity greater than its fear of Lyra.

"How do you like walking with your Pokémon," asked Elm, a knowing smile on his face. "It's not bad, is it? You can take it all the way to Mr. Pokémon's house. If your Pokémon gets hurt, you should heal it with the machine behind me."

He glanced over his shoulder at a strange machine, which has six sphere-like indents in it, the perfect size for a pokéball.

"It's really easy to use," explained the professor. "Just check the PC on my desk to use it. Mr. Pokémon goes everywhere and finds rarities. His house is past Cherrygrove City. All you have to do is head a little north of Cherrygrove. Hopefully, Ethan is already on his way back."

"Okay, I'll see you later then! Oh, yeah… Hang on to that last Pokémon, please. Kris will be coming by to get it later."

Elm nodded, giving her a small wave as she turned to walk out. Before she reached the door, Elm's assistant walked up to her, carrying Potions in his hand.

"Lyra, I want you to have these to help you with your task," he said, handing them to her, which she put away in her bag. "Pokémon are weak in the beginning. Don't hesitate to use a Potion if you think yours is in danger."

"Thanks," said Lyra, looking behind her to make sure Cyndaquil was there. "I'll take good care of Cyndaquil with these."

Lyra then walked out of the lab, seeing Kris with her Marill.

"Hi, Lyra," said Kris, looking down at Cyndaquil. "You got your Pokémon already."

"Yep, but I told Elm to hang on to the last Pokémon for you," said Lyra, smiling gently.

"Thanks! I'll pick it up when I'm done helping my mom. I'm on my way to the auto store to buy some parts for the motorcycle. For now, why don't you show your mom the Pokémon? I think she'd like that. Anyway, I'll see you around."

Kris walked away, Marill following close behind. Lyra waved and looked down at Cyndaquil. She smiled at it, making the Fire-type Pokémon very curious. She walked back home, hoping her mother hadn't already drank enough wine to pass out. Inside, her mother was sipping at her glass of wine, watching a morning newscast.

"Hey, mom," said Lyra, skipping up to her. "Look at the Pokémon I got!"

"Oh, that's a very cute one," she said, tiredly staring at the little Cyndaquil.

"Yeah, I thought I'd show you before I went off to do the errand. I think Ethan got lost while doing his, so I'm off to fetch him."

"That's kind of odd. He always seemed like the one to have a good sense of direction. Oh, make sure to add my number to your Pokégear. Just in case something happens."

"Okay. I'll do that right now," said Lyra, taking out her Pokégear and pushing the numbered buttons. "There! You're my first contact!"

"Good, now you should get going. Please, be careful."

"Bye, mom! I'll see you when I get back," yelled Lyra as she ran for the door, Cyndaquil doing his best to follow. She took a deep breath of air when she was outside, ready to take her first steps out of New Bark Town. She made her way to Route 29, her heart pounding rapidly in excitement. When she walked by Professor Elm's lab, the professor ran out, startling her.

"Wait one second," he said, running up to her. "I almost forgot to give you my number. So if anything comes up, I can call you."

Lyra took out her Pokégear and punched in the numbers as Elm recited them. With him safely saved as a contact, he went back to the lab, wishing her luck on finding Ethan. Lyra then continued on to Route 29, coming across a patch of grass.

"This is so exciting," she said, hopping a little. "You ready, Cyndaquil? No, wait! I think I'm going to give you a nickname. You'll be… Cynder!"

The Cyndaquil looked up at her, tilting his head to the side.

"That's your name, okay? I'm going to call you that from now on!"

Lyra then walked through the grass, Cynder following close behind, not quite sure why it was doing so. As they made their way through Route 29, wild Sentret jumped out of the grass, causing Lyra to yell. Cynder immediately jumped in front of her, the instinct to protect her overwhelming his lack of trust for his trainer.

"Um, what do I do," asked Lyra, her eyes looking at Cynder to the Sentret and back again. "That Pokémon is so cute, but I don't think I can catch it."

Cynder looked up at her in confusion, waiting for an order to attack. The Sentret, feeling threatened, ran up and scratched Cynder, hurting him a little.

"Ah, Cynder," said Lyra, concerned for his well-being. "Um, um… Try tackling it or something!"

Cynder gave a quick nod, charging at the Sentret with a tackle. The Sentret took the attack, falling back a bit. It tried to scratch Cynder again, but it missed. Lyra used this chance to have Cynder tackle it again, hurting it further. Sentret successfully scratched Cynder again, but he endured the attack to tackle the Sentret again, causing it to be knocked out.

"Th-that's a Pokemon battle," asked Lyra, looking at Cynder for an answer. "That was kind of tough. Maybe we should try to stay out of the grass."

Lyra then looked around, seeing all the patches of tall grass. She sighed, knowing that it was going to be a fight-or-flight as they walked through Route 29. They eventually arrived in Cherrygrove City, Lyra looking at all the buildings and houses in wonder. However, she needed to find some help for Cynder. He looked a little worn out from some of the battles, and she was already considering using a Potion on him.

"Hey, you," called out a voice, causing both Lyra and Cynder to look toward the source. It was an old man, wearing a green vest over a cream long-sleeved shirt and brown pants. He was bald, but with white hair at the sides of his head.

"You're a rookie trainer, aren't you? I can tell," he said, causing Lyra to give a shameful look. She had no idea what to do as a trainer.

"That's okay," continued the man, smiling comfortingly. "Everyone is a rookie at some point! If you'd like, I can teach you a few things."

"What? Really," asked Lyra, holding up her hands and clasping them. "Thank you! I'd really like that!"

"Okay, then! Follow me," said the old man, gesturing her to follow. He ran to a nearby building with a red roof, surprising Lyra of his speed. She quickly ran after him, amazed that an old man like him could run so fast.

"This is a Pokémon Center," he said, pointing at the building behind him. "They heal your Pokémon in no time at all. You'll be relying on them a lot, so you better learn about them."

The old man ran to the neighboring building, one with a blue roof and rotating sign.

"This is a Pokémon Mart," he explained when Lyra caught up. "They sell pokéballs for catching wild Pokémon and other useful items."

He ran off again, standing on the road that leads out of Cherrygrove.

"Route 30 is out this way. Trainers will be battling their Pokémon there. If you go a little farther, you'll see Mr. Pokémon's house."

Lyra made a quick mental note on that as the old man ran off again, this time heading to the beach.

"This is the sea, as you can see," he said, a tranquil look on his face. "Some Pokémon are found only in water."

Lyra only managed a glance at the ocean until he ran away again. She sprinted after him, already out of breath by the time she reached him. He was standing in front of a house, looking quite pleased.

"Here is my house," he said proudly. "When I was a wee lad, I was a hotshot trainer! Here's some words of advice: catch a lot of Pokémon! But you can only take six with you. If you catch more, they'll be sent to your PC. They won't run away from the PC, so there is no need to be alarmed. Remember what I'm about to tell you… Treat them with utmost kindness!"

"Okay, I think I got all of that," said Lyra, giving a small nod. "Thanks for everything!"

"No problem," said the old man, heading inside his house. Lyra walked around until she found the Pokémon Center, entering the building to heal Cynder. She looked around until she saw a pink-haired nurse standing behind a counter. Maybe she's the one Lyra has to talk to? Lyra ran up to the counter, the nurse smiling politely at her.

"Hello, and welcome to the Pokémon Center," she began, her voice also polite. "We restore your tired Pokémon to full health. Would you like to rest your Pokémon?"

"Yes, of course," said Lyra, returning Cynder to his pokéball and handing it to the nurse.

"Okay, this'll take a few seconds," said the nurse, placing the ball on the machine nearby, similar to the one in Elm's lab. A chiming sound rung out from it, and the nurse picked up the pokéball and powered off the machine.

"Thank you for waiting," she said, giving Lyra her pokéball. "We've restored your Pokémon to full health. Please, come back again any time!"

"Thanks," said Lyra, releasing Cynder out of his ball. She walked out of the Pokémon Center and looked in the direction of the mart. She wanted to go in and do some shopping, but she didn't have much money on her. She sighed as she walked by it, heading back to Route 29. Since there were trainers in Route 30, she had to train Cynder so that he was strong enough to battle against their Pokémon. She also needed more practice on battles. She did her best to train Cynder, occasionally running back to Cherrygrove to heal him. After about half an hour, she thought that that was enough training for now. She wasn't confident that Cynder was strong enough or if she got any better at training and giving orders. She made a quick stop at the Pokémon Center to heal Cynder and then walked out of Cherrygrove to Route 30.

"Wait," yelled a familiar voice, startling both Lyra and Cynder. Lyra looked over her shoulder and saw the old man from before running toward her.

"I forgot about one thing," he said, panting from the run. "This is a gift from me."

He handed her a chip, and Lyra stared at it for moment before realizing that it was for her Pokégear. She placed it in the appropriate slot, opening up her Pokégear to check it. A map of Johto showed up on the screen, and it was even showing her current location as a red dot.

"Wow, thanks," she said, her eyes wide with amazement. "Now I won't get lost like Ethan."

"The Pokégear becomes more useful as you add cards," explained the man. "I wish you luck on your journey!"

He ran away before Lyra could protest. She was just on an errand, not some cross-country journey to who-knows-where. She put away her Pokégear, stepping into Route 30. She walked through another patch of grass until she saw a house up ahead. Could it be…? A man was outside, picking a green-colored fruit from a tree near the house. He was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans. He placed the fruit in a small container in his left hand. Lyra walked up to him, hoping that it was Mr. Pokémon.

"People come by my house looking for Mr. Pokémon's house," he said when she approached. "You did mean to visit my house, right?"

Lyra quickly nodded, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

"How kind of you," he said with surprise. "Do you… Have any apricorns?"

"Um, not really," she replied, not knowing where this was heading.

"Apricorn trees bear fruit once a day," explained the man, setting the container of apricorns down. "Obviously, I have one of those trees. Apricorns are really something. You can make pokéballs and other things. They are quite useful…"

He trailed off, looking as if lost in thought. Lyra felt a little awkward, thinking of walking away and continue on. However, the man suddenly smiled, running to the side of his house. He came back with a yellow-orange basket and gave it to Lyra. She looked at him with confusion, but smiled anyway because he had given her a gift.

"I have a feeling that this was meant to be," said the man. "You can have that Apricorn Box as a gift from me to you. With that, you'll carry so many apricorns, you're going to be an apricorn collector!"

"Thank you! I'll get as many as I can," said Lyra, putting away the Apricorn Box in her bag. She waved goodbye to him as she continued her walk through Route 30. She had to admit that people were very nice to give her such nice things, especially when she was practically a stranger to them. As Lyra walked through a patch of tall grass, she saw a familiar figure up ahead. There, right under a sign, was Ethan, lying on his back with his hat over his face. On his stomach was a green Pokémon, sleeping peacefully on him.

"Ethan," called out Lyra, running up to him. Ethan lifted his hat off his face, looking up to see Lyra.

"Hey, Lyra," he said, resting his head back on the ground.

"What are you doing here," asked Lyra, glancing at the green Pokémon sleeping on Ethan's stomach. "And why did you pick that Pokémon? You knew I wanted that one!"

"'Cause girls are total suckers for cute Pokémon," replied Ethan, a smirk on his face. "You know what happened when I got Cherrygrove with this guy following me? A couple girls were all talking to me and petting Chikorita. I knew that this guy was a total chick magnet."

"You're a jerk! I wanted him first!"

Chikorita woke up from her outburst, calmly looking toward Ethan for an explanation. Ethan sat up, picking up Chikorita and setting him on the ground.

"Lyra, it's not my fault that I'm the smart one and wanted Chikorita to get girls," said Ethan, standing up. He noticed Cynder walking up to Chikorita, who looked quite happy to see him.

"Oh, you got the one with a type advantage over mine. That's kind of a low blow," added Ethan, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Type advantage," asked Lyra, not knowing what that was.

"Yeah, Pokémon all have different types. Chikorita is a Grass-type, so he's weak against Fire, Flying, Ice, Bug, and Poison-types. Your Cyndaquil is a Fire-type, so he's weak against Water, Ground, and Rock-types."

"Wow! I didn't know that! I should really remember that… Wait! Ethan, what about the errand Professor Elm sent you to do? Did you finish it?"

"Nope. I looked around a bit and decided to relax here."

"Why? Elm has been waiting for you to get back."

"I don't want to go back just yet. If I do, my mom probably won't let me leave New Bark Town again. So I'm making the most of my time out here."

Lyra looked down at her feet, understanding what he was talking about. It seemed that his mother still held a grudge against his father, and didn't want Ethan to get the chance to see him again. It took a lot of convincing from both Elm and Ethan to get his first Pokémon and accept the errand.

"Well, I'm going to finish the errand then," said Lyra, walking to the patch of tall grass ahead. "I can't leave my mom by herself for too long."

Lyra could hear Ethan following her, probably because he didn't want to return back to Elm's lab empty-handed. They eventually saw a house ahead, a mailbox on the side that read, "Mr. Pokémon." They ran over to it, Lyra knocking on the door. The door opened, a man in a brown suit and hat standing before them.

"Ah, Ethan and Lyra! I've been waiting for one of you to show up! What took you so long," he asked, opening the door more to let them in.

"Ethan got lost so I went to find him," said Lyra, covering up for Ethan's tardiness.

Inside, there was a violet rug next to a deep red couch, bookcases with many books on all the shelves, a large wooden table, and a computer on a small desk near the table. Sitting at the table was another man, who looked to be about the same age as the man in the brown suit.

"Well, welcome to my home," said the man in the suit. "I'm Mr. Pokémon, and this—" He ran over to a glass container, opened it and took out a large egg from inside. "—Is what I want Professor Elm to examine."

He handed the egg to Ethan, who looked at it with curiosity while Lyra peered to see it.

"A friend of mine from Ecruteak gave it to me," said Mr. Pokémon. "I bet you can't find this kind of egg in Johto. I thought Professor Elm might be able to tell what this is. 'He's the best when it comes to the research of Pokémon evolution.' That's a quote from the famous Professor Oak."

"Okay, we'll take this back to Elm," said Ethan, putting the egg in his backpack.

"You are returning already? Why not stay a little and let your Pokémon rest? Besides, a very important person is with us right now."

"Uh, I guess we can kill a little more time."

"And with that," said the older man from the table, getting up and walking toward them. He was wearing a yellow jacket with a white shirt and brown pants and shoes.

"I'm Professor Oak," he introduced himself. "A Pokémon researcher. So, you're Ethan and Lyra! I was just visiting my friend, Mr. Pokémon. I heard you were running an errand for Professor Elm, so I waited here."

He looked down at Cynder and Chikorita, who were running around their trainers as if playing tag.

"Oh, so these are the rare Pokémon," he said, his eyes showing intrigue and excitement. "You must be helping Elm's research. I think I understand why he gave you those Pokémon. It seems like you'll treat your Pokémon with love and care."

His brown eyes seem to have a thoughtful look to them, as if reminiscing of a pleasant memory.

"You both seem dependable," he said, giving a short nod. "How would you like to help me out?"

"That depends," said Ethan, looking at Oak skeptically. "What do you need our help for?"

Professor Oak reached into the pockets of his jacket, taking out red devices.

"This is the latest version of the Pokédex," he explained, handing one to each of them. "It automatically records data on Pokémon you've seen or caught. It's a high-tech encyclopedia! I'd like you both to have one."

"So, you want us to get data on every Pokémon in the world," asked Ethan, staring at his Pokédex. "Hell yeah! I'm so in on this!"

"I'm glad to hear that. Go meet many kinds of Pokémon and complete the Pokédex."

Lyra remained silent, staring at her Pokédex for a moment before putting it away in her bag. She, unlike Ethan, wasn't too sure about accepting this task.

"I've stayed too long," said Oak, looking up at a clock on the wall. "I have to get to Goldenrod for my usual radio show. Lyra, Ethan, I have a feeling that this is not the last time we'll meet. Is it all right if we exchange numbers just in case?"

"Yeah, sure," said Ethan, taking out his Pokégear while Lyra only shrugged and took hers out. They put in Oak's number and gave him their numbers, successfully registering the numbers. Oak said his goodbyes and left, leaving Ethan and Lyra to wonder about their new task.

"I'm sorry to trouble you, having you go back and forth," said Mr. Pokémon, looking a little guilty.

"Hey, it's no problem," said Ethan, giving him a thumbs-up. "We'll be sure to give Elm the egg."

"Thank you. I hope to see the both of you again one day!"

Ethan and Lyra walked out of the house, ready for the trip back. However, they had only taken a few steps until Lyra's Pokégear began to ring. She took it out, seeing that it was Professor Elm calling, and answered.

"H-hello? Lyra," asked Elm, his voice containing panic. "It's a disaster! Uh, um, it's just terrible! What should I do? It… Oh, no…"

"Professor? What's going on," asked Lyra, concern obvious in her tone and on her face. "What happened?"

"Please, get back here now!"

He hung up, leaving Lyra to look dumbly at her Pokégear.

"Ugh, this can't be good," said Ethan, taking off his hat and messing up his hair.

"We have to get back home right away," said Lyra, running ahead and putting her Pokégear in her pocket. Ethan ran after her, and they ran all the way back to Cherrygrove. They stopped for a moment to catch their breath, but continued on by walking. Though Ethan knew something had happened back home, he really was in no rush to get back. Lyra, however, was power-walking ahead of him, caught between running and walking to get home as soon as possible. Ethan just watched as she put more distance between them. That was when he saw someone approach her. Lyra stopped, surprised to see the red-haired boy from earlier again.

"You got a Pokémon at the lab. What a waste," he said, sneering at her and Cynder. "That's a Pokémon that's too good for a wimp like you."

"H-hey! That's not a nice thing to say," said Lyra, her hands in fists from anger. "I might be new to this Pokémon training stuff and not know a lot about Pokémon, but I'm trying my best!"

"Don't you get what I'm saying? Well, I, too, have a good Pokémon. I'll show you what I mean!"

He took out a pokéball that was clipped to his belt, throwing it and sending out a familiar Pokémon. Lyra and Ethan were surprised to see the Totodile in Elm's lab in his possession.

"That Pokémon was supposed to go to my friend Kris," said Lyra, outraged that this stranger had taken it. "You jerk! Cynder, use Tackle!"

Cynder charged at Totodile, who countered with Scratch. Lyra had Cynder use Leer, lowering Totodile's defenses. Totodile used another Scratch, the attack hurting Cynder more than it should have. They both attacked with a Tackle and Scratch, both fairly weakened.

"Huh, you're doing okay for someone so weak," said Silver, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Another Tackle," said Lyra, barely catching what he said. It took her a few seconds, realizing that it was a half-compliment. That was rather unexpected. She watched as Cynder tackled Totodile again, who leered at Cynder and lowered his defenses. Lyra bit her bottom lip for a second before ordering Cynder to use one last Tackle, which knocked the Totodile unconscious.

"Hmph, are you happy that you won," he asked disdainfully, returning Totodile to its pokéball.

"No, I'm not," yelled Lyra, pointing accusingly at him. "You took the Pokémon that was meant for Kris! I'm not going to forget your face or your name!"

"You don't even know my name," he said, walking by her. "But you should know that I'm going to be the world's greatest Pokémon trainer."

Ethan saw something fall out of the boy's pocket, and he ran over and picked it up.

"Hey, Lyra," he said, walking to his friend. "Look what he dropped."

"Ha! _Now_ I know your name," said Lyra with triumph after looking at the Trainer Card.

"Give it back! That's my Trainer Card," said the boy, running back and yanking the card out of Ethan's hand. He quickly walked away, leaving Ethan and Lyra alone.

"There's a word for people like him," said Ethan, bringing a hand to his chin thoughtfully.

"I know what you mean," agreed Lyra, watching the figure of the boy disappear in Cherrygrove. "He gives off a weird vibe. Hmm…"

It was quiet for a few moments before Lyra snapped her fingers, finding the word she was looking for.

"Tsundere," she said flatly. "He's a tsundere. Arceus, it's just like my manga and anime. Well, it's a little better than a yandere or an oredere. Anyway, let's hurry up and get back to Elm's lab. Something tells me that guy didn't walk in and nicely ask for a Pokémon."

Ethan and Lyra ran through Route 29 to get back home. They barged in Professor Elm's lab, running up to the professor and a policeman, who was holding a little notebook.

"We're here," said Lyra breathlessly, Ethan panting from all the running.

"Who are you," asked the policeman, giving them intent stares. "We are investigating the case of the missing Pokémon here."

He pointed at both of them and said, "Rule number one! 'Whoever did it will come back to the site.' So, one of you must be the one who did it!"

"Hold on a second," yelled someone, causing everyone to turn to see who it is. It was Kris, who ran up to the policeman.

"Neither of them has anything to do with it," she said strongly. "Earlier, I saw a red-haired boy looking into the building!"

"I saw him, too," said Ethan, though he said rather quietly.

"You did," asked Lyra and Kris at the same time.

"Yeah, I… I thought he was a girl at first."

Kris looked flabbergasted at what he said while Lyra was doing everything she could to keep herself from laughing. Knowing Ethan, he probably flirted with the long-haired boy.

"Anyway," began Lyra, clearing her throat. "I also saw him, and I even battled him not too long ago with the stolen Pokemon."

"I see," said the policeman, nodding in understanding. "Did you happen to get his name?"

"Yeah," replied Ethan, a huge grin on his face. "His name is Faggot."

Lyra gave him a shocked expression, Kris bringing a hand to her forehead in shame.

"No, wait, his name is Question Marks," laughed Ethan. "Even better! It's Sylvia!"

"That's not his name," yelled Lyra, Ethan laughing so hard that tears were pricking at his eyes. "His _real_ name is Silver."

"So, Silver is his name," asked the policeman, uncertain thanks to all the names Ethan said.

"Yes, I'm sure," confirmed Lyra, giving a small nod. "I won't ever forget him."

"Thank you all for your cooperation and helping me with the investigation," he said, putting away his notebook, which had notes on Silver. "My next assignment is to search for this red-haired individual."

He walked out, Kris sighing in relief.

"I'm glad he understood that you guys are innocent," she said, smiling lightly at them.

"But Kris," began Lyra, frowning. "You couldn't get your Pokémon because of what that jerk did."

"It's okay. I still have Marill and you guys. Besides, a little setback won't stop me from going out and seeing the world. I'll see you guys later!"

Lyra watched Kris walk out the lab, Ethan finally calming down from his hysterical laughter.

"Lyra, this is terrible," said Elm, his hand on the side of his head in worry. "Ah, yes, what was Mr. Pokémon's big discovery?"

Ethan opened up his backpack and handed Elm the egg he received from Mr. Pokémon.

"This is an egg, isn't it," asked Elm, suddenly excited. He took the egg from Ethan, quickly examining it. "This egg may be something I've never seen… Still, it's just an egg. Mr. Pokémon is always fascinated by eggs. Well, since he gave it to us, we might as well find out what secret it holds. I'll keep it for a while to find out about the egg."

"Uh, can you let us know what hatches from it," asked Ethan, looking at the egg in Elm's hands. "Because it might fill up some data for the Pokédex."

"What? How did you get a Pokédex?"

"Professor Oak gave us both one," replied Lyra, taking hers out to show him.

"That's incredible! He is superb at seeing the potential of people as trainers. He only gives Pokédexes to very few people. I believe one girl he gave one to completed hers in about a year. Anyway, I knew that you two were a little different. And your Pokémon seem to really like you, so why don't you… take the Pokémon Gym challenge?"

"What's that," asked Lyra, earning a shocked gasp from Ethan.

"You don't know what the Pokémon Gym challenge is," asked Ethan with surprise. "It's what most trainers go out to do. You go around Johto and challenge the gym leaders in the gyms. There are eight gyms, and they're all in different cities and towns. If you defeat all the gym leaders, you can go challenge the Pokémon League Champion."

"Becoming the Champion is not at all easy," added Elm. "But you both certainly can challenge Violet City's Gym. Challenging all the gyms will be a long journey. I think you should both talk to your mothers before leaving."

Lyra and Ethan nodded and walked out of the lab. They stood in front of the lab, thinking of what they had to do.

"Screw that," said Ethan, looking in the direction of Route 29. "I'm going to Violet City right now. What are you going to do, Lyra?"

"I'm going to stay home with my mom," replied Lyra, looking over at her house. "I'm not cut out to be a trainer. Besides, I don't want to leave my mom by herself for so long."

"Are you serious? Didn't you see yourself when you battled against Silver? You were freaking great! I can't believe you're already quitting before you even started!"

"But, my mom—"

"Lyra, my mom has always been on my back, checking where I'm going and how long I'll be there. She isn't letting me live my life the way I want, and I want to see the world, even if it's just Johto. You really think your own mom would want you to lock yourself away from the world, staying in your room reading manga and watching anime?"

"I'm all she has left, Ethan. I can't just abandon her to go out on my own. It'd be really selfish, and she's already been abandoned before."

"Fine. Go ahead and throw away your chance for freedom. With my Pokémon, I finally have the power to break away. I'm not staying here another second."

Ethan walked away, heading to Route 29, and Lyra walked back to her house. In her mind, she knew that Ethan was right, but her heart was telling her that it wouldn't be fair to her mother. She stepped into her house, seeing her mother asleep with her head down on the table. The TV was on, so Lyra turned it off and sat down across from her mom. She picked up the wine bottle, its light weight indicating that it was empty. She placed it back on the table, a sigh escaping her mouth. Cynder looked up at her, wondering why his trainer felt rather depressed all of a sudden.

Lyra swallowed in anxiety, lightly tapping on her mother's shoulder to wake her up. Her mom lifted her head, wiping her eyes with her hands.

"Lyra, welcome back," she said tiredly. "How was the errand?"

"Good, but someone stole a Pokémon from Professor Elm."

"Really? That's… That's awful. Did they catch who did it?"

"No, not yet, but they're working on it."

Lyra fell silent, her mom staring at her with a weary expression.

"Lyra, is there something you want to tell me," asked her mom, a worried look on her face.

"Huh? No, there's nothing I have to tell you. Nothing I can think of, anyway."

"I'm your mom. I know when something's bothering you. Now please tell me what it is."

Lyra sighed and told her mom everything that happened. Her mom seemed to have some difficulty focusing, but she managed. When Lyra finished her story, her mom looked down at the table, thinking.

"So, you're leaving on an adventure," she said, not looking up.

"No, I'm not. I'm staying here with you! And Cynder, too!"

"Lyra," began her mom, standing up but struggling to keep her balance. "I want you to be happy."

"But I am happy! I'm happy being home with you!"

Her mom shook her head, smiling gently at her daughter.

"No. It won't make me happy to see you trapped with my misery. You're going to be fourteen soon, and I don't want you to spend years of your life stuck in one place. You can't take back the years you've lost. Live your life, Lyra. Go with your friends and Pokémon and see the world. You deserve it after everything I've put you through."

"A-are you sure? What are you going to do by yourself?"

"I'll help you in any way I can. Oh! Would it be okay if I save some of the money you win in battles?"

"Um…" Lyra glanced at the wine bottle, but quickly averted her eyes from it.

"I'm not going to spend your money on booze. I promise! It's your money, so I'll only use it to buy things that will help you."

"Okay. You can hang onto some of my money."

"Thank you, Lyra. Come here."

Lyra got up from her chair and approached her mom, who suddenly pulled her into a hug.

"Please, be careful," she whispered, pulling away a little. "Call me once in a while so I know that you're okay."

"All right," said Lyra, smiling up at her mom. "I'm going to miss you. If there's anything you need or want from a city or town I'm in, let me know so I can buy it for you."

"Take care of yourself and your Pokemon. Just as you depend on him, he'll depend on you."

Lyra nodded, fixing her hat a bit. She and Cynder walked out of her house, prepared for the long adventure ahead of them. Lyra looked to Route 29, this time on a journey instead of an errand.

* * *

><p><em>She looked through her bag to ensure that everything she needed was there. She looked at herself in the mirror, a blue sweater with a black shirt underneath and a red skirt with black leggings. Her white hat was secure on her head, and the white boots complimented her hat. Leaf quietly walked downstairs, peering around the corner to see if her mom was awake already or not. To her luck, she wasn't. She tip-toed to the table, taking out a note she had wrote the night before. She set it on the table and made her way out. Once outside to cool winter air, she sent out her Pidgeot, Breeze, so she can get to Vermilion City. She resisted the urge to go to Blue's house and tell him goodbye. If he knew what she was about to do, he'd drop everything and go with her, and she didn't want that.<em>

_The Pokémon League had accepted him to be Viridian's new gym leader, and he was working very hard in remodeling the interior. Every day after school, he'd head straight to the gym to oversee and help with the construction. She couldn't have him with her when there was still a lot for him to do. She also didn't want him anywhere near her for the time being._

_She climbed onto Breeze's back and told him to take her to Vermilion. In Vermilion City, there was a cruise ship that came in from Johto, a way to connect the two regions together. It was called the S.S. Aqua, and Leaf saw it as a way to continue her search. She had told Professor Oak, the only one who knows of what she's planning to do today, about going to Johto, and he had gotten her a ticket to ride the ship. Leaf didn't know how to repay him for his kindness, but he had told her that finding him was greater than anything._

_He spoke of Red, the missing Champion of Pallet Town. Leaf didn't give up her search for him, looking through Kanto for any clue of his whereabouts during her spare time. She eventually came to the conclusion that he wasn't in Kanto, and that she must look somewhere else. Now she had the chance to do so, by taking the S.S. Aqua to Johto and searching there. She had to find him this time, for both his safety and her feelings. Something had happened that she didn't expect, and it terrified her. During the months after Red's disappearance to now, she had fallen for Blue. She was disgusted with herself to have such feelings for him. How could she love someone else when she already loved Red?_

_She was ashamed of her feelings for Blue, seeing it all as a betrayal to Red. She had planned to search for Red until she found him, and wait patiently for him to come back home to Pallet Town. She never planned to fall in love with someone else, especially Blue of all people. What would Red think of her if he knew? Leaf didn't want to think about it, but she was already thinking of herself as an unfaithful, treacherous Ekans. Breeze began to descend as they neared Vermilion, Leaf spotting the large ship that will take her to Johto. This new search for Red will solve the greatest question in her mind. She had to know if she really did love him._

* * *

><p><em><em><strong>AN: In case it wasn't obvious already, I love the Fire-type starters. Besides, Cyndaquil is perfect for Lyra, a total newbie to training, since picking Cyndaquil is like picking "easy mode" in the game. Totodile is intermediate, and Chikorita is difficult. Anyway, the parts in italics that talk about Leaf are actually flashbacks, but I'm sure you've already deduced that. It's just to explain what happened during the three years between FRLG and HGSS. "My name is ?" I seriously thought Silver's name was "?" the first time I played Silver Version. I was like, "That's a weird name but okay." So, when the part with the cop came in and he asked me what his name was, I said to myself, "It's question mark, question mark, question mark!" Yeah, those were good times.**__


	3. Return of the Glitched Pokedex

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 1: The First Steps

Lyra walked onward to Route 29, hoping that Ethan didn't get too far away. Cynder loyally followed her, sniffing at the air for familiar scents. Up ahead, Lyra saw Ethan and Kris talking near a patch of grass. Kris was carrying a light blue bag this time. Kris' Marill saw Lyra approaching and cried out to get her master's attention.

"There you are," said Kris when Lyra was near. "Ethan, you owe me $50!"

"Aw, damn it," said Ethan, reaching into his pocket for his wallet.

"Did you guys make a bet or something," asked Lyra, confused as to what was going on.

"Yeah, I bet that you'd stay home, but Kris thought that you wouldn't."

"Anyway, now that you're here," said Kris, accepting the money from Ethan. "I can show you guys how to catch Pokémon."

Kris whistled at Marill, and they both walked into the grass. A Rattata jumped out, and Marill prepared itself for the battle. Kris told Marill to use Tackle, which weakened the Rattata a bit. Rattata used Tail Whip, lowering the defenses of Marill.

"Okay, I weakened it a bit," explained Kris, reaching into her bag and taking out a new pokéball. "I can use a pokéball on it."

She threw it at the Rattata, who was drawn into it. The ball fell on the ground, shaking back and forth a few times before clicking. Kris walked over and picked up the ball, smiling back at her friends.

"And that's how it's done," she said, walking back to them.

"Wow, Kris," said Lyra, obviously impressed. "You caught it! I didn't know catching Pokémon was that easy."

"Actually, it's better to weaken your target more than I did and to make it sleep or something. You can try all kinds of things to see what works. I'll give you both these."

Kris reached into her bag again, taking out a couple of pokéballs and handing an even amount to Lyra and Ethan. She also took out a hammer and gave that to Lyra as well.

"What's this for," asked Lyra, surprised by the strange gift.

"A good luck charm, or something like that," replied Kris, putting her hands on her hips. "My mom gave me that last week but I have 'Old Faithful' still going strong. I thought you should have it. You never know when it'll come in handy!"

"Thanks, Kris! I'll take good care of it!"

"Good luck, guys. See ya!"

"She's not going back to New Bark Town," asked Lyra to Ethan once Kris was gone.

"No," replied Ethan, putting away the pokéballs in his backpack. "Didn't you hear her earlier? She said that she wasn't going to let anything stop her from going on her own journey."

"Kris is so cool. I hope to be as cool as her one day… Hey, let's try catching some Pokémon now! Cynder, are you ready?"

Cynder looked up and nodded, Lyra smiling in response.

"Cynder," asked Ethan, raising an eyebrow at her. "Isn't that a girl's name?"

"Well, I thought it was a cute name for him. Besides, look at him! He's a gorgeous boy! He's like one of those guys in my manga that look like girls because they're so pretty. Isn't that right, Cynder? Aren't you a pretty boy?"

Cynder began to kick at the dirt bashfully, Lyra giggling from his modesty.

"You read some weird ass manga, Lyra," said Ethan, shuddering a little. "But that's nothing compared to the other manga I've seen you read."

Ethan walked ahead into the grass, Chikorita following him. Lyra ran after him, prepared to catch some Pokémon. Thanks to Kris' showing her, Lyra felt like she could try it out. She hoped to catch a lot so she could fill in pages of the Pokédex. As she walked through the grass, a Sentret jumped out, surprising her a little. However, Lyra saw this as her chance to catch her first Pokémon. She had Cynder weaken it with a few tackles, also taking some hits himself from the Sentret. When she was sure that it was weakened enough, she threw a pokéball at it. The Sentret was drawn in, the ball falling on the floor. It shook a few times, Lyra holding her breath as it shook a third time. It finally clicked, and she sighed in relief. That feeling of relief was quickly replaced with accomplishment and excitement as she picked up the ball.

"A Sentret… How exciting," said a sarcastic voice that made Lyra jump a little.

"W-who said that," asked Lyra, looking around.

"Your Pokédex. But you can pretend that your Cyndaquil is talking."

Lyra reached into her bag and pulled out her Pokédex, opening it and seeing information on the Sentret she just caught.

"Whoa! I didn't know you could talk," said Lyra, staring in amazement.

"I can also fly, fight crime, and increase your Pokémon's strength."

"Really?"

"Sure, and while we're at it, I can even teleport you to Violet City."

"That's so awesome! I can't wait to show Ethan this!"

"You're an idiot."

"How can you say something like that?"

"Easy. I just don't care about your feelings."

"You're so mean," yelled Lyra, putting her Pokédex back in her bag. "I have to go find Ethan."

Lyra made her way through Route 29, catching a few more Pokémon as she did. She did her best to not have her Pokédex out for too long, or else it would say another sarcastic, cutting remark. She eventually found Ethan in the tall grass next to Cherrygrove City. He was looking at his own Pokédex, an annoyed expression on his face.

"Ethan," called out Lyra, getting his attention. "My Pokédex can talk! But it's a jerk!"

"At least it's not fucking annoying," said Ethan, walking toward Lyra. "Mine talks really weird!"

"I say! Were you raised in a barn," asked a voice with a strong accent. "That is not how one should speak to a lady!"

Lyra looked down at the Pokédex in Ethan's hand, wondering if that voice was coming from it.

"Who cares how I talk to her," said Ethan, talking to it and growing more aggravated. "She's my friend so it shouldn't matter!"

"Etiquette, my friend! Etiquette," said the Pokédex. "One must greet a lady by bowing while taking her hand and then kissing it."

"Yeah, I don't think so."

"The idea of accompanying a boorish person such as you is very uninviting. I'd much rather prefer being with that kind young lady."

"Too bad," said Ethan, looking up at Lyra. "So, how many Pokémon did you catch?"

"Oh, I caught three on my way here," replied Lyra proudly.

"Smashing," said Ethan's Pokédex. "Good show! How I wish I could have seen such an impressive spectacle!"

"Shut the hell up already," yelled Ethan, putting the Pokédex in his backpack.

"Um, Ethan," began Lyra, a little worried. "Are the Pokédexes supposed to be like this? Professor Oak didn't say anything about them acting up."

"I don't know, but it better not be something he programmed into them just to annoy us. Let's head on over to Cherrygrove already."

Lyra nodded, and they walked the short distance to the nearby city. They stopped by at the Pokémon Center to heal up. While the Pokémon were healing, Ethan showed Lyra how to use the PC there, explaining the different programs in it. It took Lyra a while to get the hang of it, but she pretty much got the basics of the Pokémon Storage System, which Ethan thought was the most important. She kind of wanted to bring Sentret with her, but Ethan advised her not to, saying that it wasn't the best Pokémon to have around. Since Lyra believed Ethan knew more about Pokémon than her, she took his advice, disappointed that she couldn't take the cute Pokémon with her.

The other Pokémon she caught, which were a Pidgey and Rattata, weren't cute by Lyra's standards. For now, Cynder would have to be alone for a bit until she caught another cute Pokémon. Well, at least Ethan's Chikorita can play with Cynder to keep him from being too lonely.

"So, what got you to change your mind about leaving home," asked Ethan as they headed out to Route 30.

"My mom said I should go out and see the world. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was kicking me out of the house," laughed Lyra, thinking of her mother's words.

"Well, even an otaku should get some fresh air."

"That's true… But, it's kind of scary to be out here."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure what's waiting out there. How do I know if the people I meet and the places I visit are safe?"

"That's why you have me here! I'll watch your back, and if I can't, you always have your Pokémon with you. Either way, someone will always be with you."

Lyra smiled and nodded, feeling a little more secure by hearing those words. She just had to trust in her friends, both human and Pokémon, to help her when she needed it.

"Hey, you," called out a voice, obviously a boy's. Ethan and Lyra turned to see a boy in shorts, a striped shirt, and a blue baseball cap that was backwards.

"I just lost a battle, so I'm trying to catch more Pokémon," explained the boy. "But you guys look weak. Come on, let's battle!"

"Bring it on," said Ethan, sending Chikorita to battle. Lyra took a couple steps back but watched intently at the battle, knowing that she could learn a thing or two from it. The boy sent out a Rattata, which was tackled by Chikorita. It weakened the Rattata quite a bit, but it used Tail Whip to weaken Chikorita's defenses. Ethan had Chikorita use Razor Leaf, which Lyra thought was an amazing move. Chikorita whipped up some leaves, which flew straight at the Rattata. Rattata was knocked out by it, bringing the battle to an end.

"Aw, I'm out of Pokémon," said the boy with disappointment. However, he brightened up, as if a great idea had occurred to him. "Hey, can I get your number?"

"Uh, no thanks," said Ethan, giving a quick shake of his head. "I don't give my number to dudes."

"Not like that! It's just so I can call you for another rematch!"

"Eh, I guess. Lyra! You want this guy's number, too?"

"Yeah," said Lyra, walking up to them. "It'd be nice to have some calling buddies!"

"Awesome," said the boy as they exchanged numbers. "My name's Joey! I'll call you guys whenever I feel like battling. For now, I'm going to catch more Pokémon because battles are harder when you don't have a lot."

He ran off, probably going to Cherrygrove to buy some pokéballs to catch more Pokémon. Lyra and Ethan moved on, running into a few more trainers ahead. Lyra was kind of nervous about battling other trainers, but she did her best to have faith in Cynder's, and her own, abilities. After winning her first battle, in which Cynder took quite a few hits but was still going strong, she began to understand battling a little better. The duo eventually reached Route 31, a cave entrance to the side greeting them. They were about to enter it when a boy in a blue shirt and brown pants stepped out, a look of frustration on his face.

"Don't bother going in there," he said as he walked by them. "It's pitch-black, and you can't see a thing."

Ethan and Lyra looked at each other for a moment before shrugging, moving onward through the route. They were getting close to Violet City but were stopped by a Bug Catcher who wanted to battle Ethan. It took Chikorita a while to defeat the Bug Catcher's Pokémon. The Bug Catcher seemed very impressed and gave his number to the two trainers. He told them that sometimes he found berries while looking through the tall grass and would like to share some with them if he finds any. With that done, they continued on until they reached the gate to Violet City. As they passed by the guard, another person walked in, a very familiar person.

"I knew it was you guys," said Kris, walking up to them with Marill following. "How'd you get past me? Here, I found some pretty cool things to give you."

Kris reached into her bag, taking out blue devices with large screens and giving one to Ethan and Lyra.

"That's called a Vs. Recorder," explained Kris, looking quite proud to get them. "It can record your Pokémon battles. Sorry, but I can't stay very long with you guys. I can't have you passing me again! Come on, Marill!"

"Heh, even when she's not a trainer, she can't sit still for long," said Ethan with a chuckle as Kris ran out the gate to Violet City.

"I wonder where she got the Vs. Recorders from," asked Lyra, staring at the device for a moment before safely putting it away in her bag. "I'm really glad to have a friend like Kris to help us out."

They exited the gate, entering the large city of Violet. Lyra looked around in awe, taking in the paved roads, the traditional-looking buildings, and the tall tower nearby.

"W-wow," was all Lyra could say as she gazed at everything.

"C'mon! Snap out of it," said Ethan, grabbing her hand and leading her through the streets. "If you keep that look on your face, people will definitely know that you're from a small town."

"And what's wrong with that," asked Lyra, trying to keep up with him.

"Some people can be total snobs about where you come from."

Lyra found that a little hard to believe, but maybe there was some truth behind that. They walked into a Pokémon Center, Ethan telling Lyra that finding the Pokémon Center should always be the first thing to do when entering a new town or city. She made a quick mental note on that as they handed the nurse their Pokémon to heal. As their Pokémon healed, Ethan looked at the people that were also in there. They were all basically strangers to him, but one of them seemed vaguely familiar. He walked up to that person, a man in a white sleeveless shirt and white shorts.

"Hey, you look familiar," he told him, staring at his face intently.

"Well, my face should be familiar to every Pokémon fan," he said proudly. "I'm from the TV show, 'The Show Me Show!' I am Primo, the big brother!"

"Holy shit! You serious? I freaking loved watching that show!"

"Would you, one of my fans, tell me what you think of me?"

"What do I think? You were awesome!"

"Is that how you feel about me," he asked, very flattered by Ethan's compliment. "I never thought of it that way before. How do you like the way I am so exciting and fun?"

"That's kind of the whole reason why I watched the show in the first place. You made it more interesting than any other person I know."

"Really? That gives me all-new energy to work even harder! I appreciate the feedback and your support!"

"Hey, it's no problem. But… Can you autograph my backpack?"

As Ethan received Primo's autograph, Lyra sat on a chair, waiting patiently for Cynder to be healed. She watched an older man walk in with a young boy, probably his grandson.

"Grandpa! Can you tell me that story again," asked the little boy, tugging at his grandfather's brown jacket.

"But you've heard it a hundred times already," replied the grandfather with a laugh.

"I know! I just really like it!"

The grandfather handed the nurse a pokéball and then sat down a couple of chairs away from where Lyra sat. She couldn't help but feel curious about the story.

"Okay, it was about three years ago, when you were only a baby," began the grandfather, picking up his grandson and setting him on his leg. "This group of people called Team Rocket was doing horrible things to Pokémon, like abusing them. But, bad things like them never last! A very brave boy and girl faced and disbanded them, and Team Rocket was never seen again."

"They're really amazing to do something like that! Right, grandpa," asked the boy, smiling with curiosity in his eyes.

"They are. And they even came from a little town in Kanto. That just proves that greatness can come from anywhere."

"Even from me?"

"You're already great. I can't ask for a better grandson!"

Lyra smiled softly to herself, letting the grandfather's words sink in. He was right. Greatness can come from anywhere, even from someone like Lyra. She had to work hard and learn as much as she could to get there.

"Excuse me," said the nurse, waving at Lyra. "Your Pokémon are all healed!"

Lyra ran up to the counter, accepting Cynder's pokéball from the nurse and releasing him from it. She called over Ethan to pick up Chikorita, and he had a big grin on his face.

"I'm going to treasure this backpack for the rest of my life," he said, releasing Chikorita from his pokéball. "Anyway, we should go find the gym and see what type it specializes in."

"Huh," asked Lyra as they walked out of the Pokémon Center.

"Every gym specializes in a Pokémon type. You know how Chikorita is a Grass-type and Cynder is a Fire-type? Well, there are actually seventeen different types, all with their own strengths and weaknesses."

"That's a lot! How am I going to remember all that?"

"Little by little. If I were to tell you everything, your head might explode from all the information."

"But, Ethan, how do you know them all?"

"You know how my mom is. She made me read books, watch documentaries, and read educational magazines—" he shuddered, thinking back on it. "—So many afternoons wasted."

"It's not a total waste! I mean, you can use all that knowledge now that you're a trainer."

"Yeah, you're right. I can't imagine how we would have been if I didn't know."

Ethan suddenly stopped in front of large building, Lyra looking up at it in amazement. It was brown and blue with sliding glass doors.

"All right, this is it," said Ethan, glancing at the sign nearby. "Hm, and the gym leader uses Flying-types."

"How do you know that?"

"The sign. It says, 'Falkner: The Elegant Master of Flying Pokémon.' That really speaks for itself. Okay, Lyra, listen up! Lesson one: Flying-types are strong against Grass, Bug, and Fighting-types. But their weaknesses are Rock, Ice, and Electric-types."

"Um, I think I got all that. Does that mean I have to go catch a pokemon that can beat Falkner?"

"I think you'll be okay with Cynder, but if you want, go ahead. I have to go find another Pokémon because Chikorita won't stand a chance against Flying-types. You can stay here and explore a bit."

Lyra watched as her friend headed south of Violet City, leaving her on her own. She warily looked around, wondering what, exactly, she should explore. Cynder looked up and sniffed the air, wandering off. Lyra followed him in curiosity as he walked to the side of the gym. There was a man there, wearing a pale pink shirt and green overalls. Lyra had to admit that he had a strange sense of fashion, but she wasn't one to talk since her outfit bordered on cosplay. The man was staring at the pond but looked down when Cynder began to sniff at his overall pants.

"Bonjour," he said upon seeing Lyra. "You are trainer?"

"Yeah, but I'm really new to it."

"Battle Gym Leader, win you did?"

"Uh, no. I haven't even challenged him yet."

"Is that so? Then study shall you! Follow me!"

He ran off, doing a couple twirls as he did so, and Lyra chased after him.

"But it's summer," she yelled at him, hoping he heard. "There's no school right now!"

He eventually stopped in front of a large building with, well, a violet roof. It looked very traditional on the outside.

"Here, teacher I am," said the man, pointing to himself. "Good it is you study here!"

He walked inside, and Lyra looked down at Cynder, who gave a small shrug.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to get a summer class," said Lyra, carefully picking up Cynder and walking in. The flames on Cynder's back went out, relieving Lyra's fear of getting burned. Inside, there were a couple of kids sitting at their desks, busily taking notes. Lyra sat down in an empty seat, Cynder sitting on her lap.

"Earl, I am," introduced the man from earlier. "Wonderful are Pokémon, yes! Teach you I will to be a better trainer! Soon, be winners is all you!"

Lyra paid close attention to the lecture, wishing that she had brought a notebook from home. She learned about Pokémon abilities, experience Pokémon get from battles, and a little more on Pokémon types. She also learned about status conditions like poison, paralysis, and sleep. The class ended in an hour, but it was an hour worth spent to Lyra. It sure was a lot for her to take in, and there were still some things that confused her.

"There you are," she heard Ethan's voice say. "I've been looking all over for you!"

Lyra looked to see Ethan walking toward her, but with a different Pokémon following him.

"Oh, my Arceus! That is one of the cutest Pokémon I've ever seen," she said, looking at the fluffy Pokémon. It had a blue face and feet, with wool around its body and a striped tail with an orb at the end.

"That's Mareep. He's an Electric-type. Anyway, you were in a school? That wasn't what I had in mind for you to explore."

"Oh, but I learned a lot! I learned about status conditions, battle experience, and abilities. But, that doesn't really matter right now. What matters is where you got that adorable Pokémon!"

"Over at Route 32," replied Ethan, pointing behind him to where the route was. "What? You're going to catch a Mareep, too?"

"Yes! It's so cute!"

"All right, just make sure you have enough pokéballs. I'm going to Route 31 to train Mareep a bit for Falkner."

Lyra ran off to where Route 32 was. She slowed down when she was out of Violet City and noticed a patch of tall grass nearby. She figured that this is where Ethan caught his Mareep. As she began to look through the grass, her Pokégear started ringing. She answered since the caller ID said "Joey" on it.

"Hello," she asked, looking through the grass still.

"Howdy, Lyra! It's me, Joey," said the boy on the other line. "How are you?"

"Hi, Joey. I'm just looking for a Pokémon to catch right now."

"Hey, do you remember my super-cool Rattata? I'm sure my Rattata is different from regular Rattata. It's like my Rattata is in the top percentage of Rattata. Do you know what I'm saying?"

"Uh, I think I do."

"Okay, bye!"

Lyra hung up and put away her Pokégear in her pocket, focusing on her task. She found a lot of Bellsprout, a few Ekans and Rattata, but no Mareep. She kept looking, until a Mareep jumped out at her from the tall grass. She quickly ordered Cynder to tackle it, but Mareep's wool caused Cynder to be paralyzed when he attacked. The Mareep tackled Cynder back, hurting him a little. It was a difficult battle since Lyra didn't want to knock out the Mareep and Cynder's paralysis kept him from attacking sometimes. When she was sure it was weak enough, she threw a pokéball at it, drawing the Pokémon in. The ball fell to the ground, and began to shake. Lyra and Cynder stared intently, waiting for the click they wanted to hear. A click came from the pokéball, and Lyra skipped happily to it.

"All right! We did it, Cynder! Now we have a new friend with us!"

Cynder looked up tiredly, causing Lyra to quickly put her newly caught Mareep's pokéball in her bag. She picked up Cynder and ran back to the Pokémon Center to heal him and Mareep. While her Pokémon healed, Lyra took out her Pokédex to see the page of information on Mareep.

"Oh, it's a girl, and it has a rash nature," said Lyra to herself.

"Well, that's just great," said her Pokédex with a sarcastic tone. "You're an idiot _and_ crazy, too."

"I-I'm not crazy! I was just reading out loud to myself!"

"_Anyway_, what do you want to nickname the Mareep? I don't really care what you call it, it's part of my job to ask you and stuff."

Lyra thought it over, considering all the many names she can use to nickname Mareep. She settled on one, and put it in the Pokédex.

"'Voltage?' Are you serious," asked her Pokédex. "That's the stupidest name I've ever heard. Might as well name it 'Poop' or 'Dumbass.' But, I _guess_ it's better than the uncreative names that girl gave her Pokémon back home."

Meanwhile, in a certain apartment in Viridian City…

"Ahchoo!"

Leaf wiped her nose with her jacket sleeve, hoping that she wasn't catching a cold.

"Did you just wipe your snot on my jacket," asked Blue, who was sitting beside her on the couch. The TV was on, a comedic sitcom was playing on the screen.

"It's not a big deal," said Leaf, quickly wiping the sleeve on the couch. "Besides, snot isn't so bad compared to other body fluids."

"You better wash it later! I don't want to be walking around with that on my favorite jacket!"

"You can wear one of my jackets then," she said, resting her head against his arm.

"Yours don't fit me, and they're too girly."

Back in Violet City, Lyra shrugged and put away her Pokédex, figuring a half-compliment was better than an insult from it. She accepted her Pokémon from the nurse, wondering who the girl her Pokédex spoke of is. She pushed the thought away, focusing instead on what she had to do next. She figured she should follow Ethan's lead and train Voltage. She doubted that Voltage wasn't very strong yet, so it was best to train in Route 31. After hours of training, and catching, Pokémon, Ethan and Lyra met up again at the Pokémon Center, tired from the long day they've had.

"So, how'd you do, Lyra," asked Ethan as they walked to the assigned rooms they'll be staying in.

"I think I did pretty well," replied Lyra, thinking back on her day. "I caught a Mareep a long while back and named her Voltage. And, I recently caught a really cute Hoothoot! Her name is Zephyr!"

"A Hoothoot, huh? You should have nicknamed her 'Hooters.'"

"I say, that is the most obscene name I've ever heard," said Ethan's Pokédex from his backpack. "Clearly, the young lady's noble name for her Pokémon is of top-quality."

"My Pokédex said, in its words, 'a pathetic attempt to make up for the other stupid names,' and that I was desperately trying to bring attention to my Pokémon with a name like Zephyr," said Lyra, sighing a little.

"Well, whatever," said Ethan with a shrug. "Let's go get some sleep. Tomorrow, we're going to check out that huge tower. Think you can climb it, Lyra?"

"Um, yeah! Well, I hope so, at least."

* * *

><p><em>Blue was worried about Leaf, and he had every reason to feel that way. He walked through Route 1, opting to walk instead of having his Pidgeot fly him home. He chuckled a little, noticing that he was doing the exact same thing Leaf did when she needed to think. If she couldn't lie down in the grass and stare at the sky, she'd walk around aimlessly to clear her mind and think. For the time being, he needed to clear his mind of the anxiety he had for her. But, that was proving to be very difficult, especially since she had been gone for a week and there was no word from her.<em>

_He remembered when he found out about her sudden trip to Johto. He had been so busy with remodeling Viridian's gym and finishing paperwork that he didn't notice until it was too late. He was in his room, finishing said paperwork for the League, when he realized that Leaf didn't come by to see him. He went downstairs to see Daisy and his grandfather having tea. He asked them if they had seen Leaf today. Daisy said that she didn't, but his grandfather remained suspiciously silent. Professor Oak sighed and told Blue that she had gone to Johto by taking the S.S. Aqua._

_Blue immediately headed for the door, but Oak grabbed his arm to keep him from leaving. His grandfather then proceeded to tell him that Leaf wanted to go to Johto on her own, with no one but her Pokémon. She had told Oak to remain quiet about her departure until after the S.S. Aqua had set off to Johto. That was six hours ago, and it was already nine o'clock. Oak also added that if she really did want Blue to go with her, she would have straight-out asked him, and that it was best to just wait until she contacted him. As much as Blue wanted to go find her, he knew his grandfather was right. Leaf was never too shy to ask a question. Hell, her bluntness and brutal honesty sometimes got her in trouble. And, she preferred to do things on her own, without anyone's help._

_Sometimes, that independence of hers really annoyed Blue. Sure, it was nice that she could watch out for herself, and her Pokémon were more than capable of protecting her. Though, he wished that she could be dependent on him in some way so he could show her that he was reliable and trustworthy. "But, Blue, I already trust you!" He can imagine and hear her saying that, to show him otherwise. "If that's true, then why don't you show it?" is what he wants to ask her but won't. He really wanted her to rely on him, so he could somehow make up for his intolerable behavior and treatment of her through the five years they weren't friends._

_And yet, he couldn't help but think that part of her independence formed because of him. After they had caught up with what the other did during those five years, he found out that she didn't have many friends after their fight, unlike him. Did she force herself to rely on only herself after the break in their friendship so she wouldn't have to go through something like that again? He wouldn't be surprised if she did, given the way he acted and the words he said to her on the day of their fight._

_He then remembered the time he had to go with Leaf to the Sevii Islands to be her bodyguard. She was initially against the idea—her mother was the one that proposed it—but adjusted to it since she had already given up being a trainer. It was frustrating, at first, to be with her, but it was a chance to spend time with her after those five years. He also liked that she was depending on him to battle for her, and he made damn sure to show her how strong his Pokémon were. Every time she smiled or congratulated him for his victories, it made him feel a little better since that damn Red had taken almost everything from him. She made him feel that he really was worth something, even if Red was much better than him._

_Just knowing that he wasn't with her in Johto now made him feel uneasy. Yes, Leaf was strong, independent, and had powerful Pokémon despite that she was no longer a trainer. Yet, she had a crippling weakness that wasn't guaranteed she wouldn't come across in Johto. The girl was terrified of ghosts, be it Pokémon or not. Anything related to the supernatural would make her so tense that she couldn't move. Of course, he didn't always know of her fear. He found out the hard way when they were only kids. At the time, Red had not moved into Pallet Town yet, so it was only Blue and Leaf, four months after their first meeting. He clearly remembered her wearing a pale pink sundress while he wore blue pants with a long-sleeved gray shirt._

_A carnival had come into town, bringing rides, games, and food. Daisy and Clover, Leaf's mother, took Blue and Leaf to it so they could have fun. They sat at a table as the kids went off to the rides and games. Leaf was hesitant to get on the fast-moving rides, the ones they were tall enough to get on, but Blue persuaded her to ride with him. After almost every ride, she was excited to go again, which Blue was more than happy to do so. Eventually, Blue found a haunted house attraction, which he really wanted to go see. Leaf refused to go, surprisingly stubborn to even give the attraction a try. Naturally, Blue thought she was just being uncertain about it and only needed a good push from him to get over it. He grabbed her hand and pulled her along to the haunted house. However, she was fighting against him, trying to pull away from him so she wouldn't enter the haunted house._

"_I-I don't want to go in there," she said, digging her shoes into the ground._

"_Stop being such a baby," he told her, pulling her roughly. "It's not a big deal!"_

"_Ow! Stop it, Blue! You're hurting me!"_

_He looked down at her arm, which he was holding onto with both hands, and saw her skin get red from where he was pulling her._

"_Then stop being so scared and come with me," he said, giving her a disapproving look because of her behavior. She stopped, looking up from him to the attraction up ahead._

"_You… Really want to go in," she asked slowly._

"_Yeah, and I want you to go in with me!"_

_She looked down, thinking about it, before nodding and letting Blue lead her to the haunted house. They paid two tickets to get in, Leaf tightly gripping at Blue's hand. It was so uncomfortable that he pulled his hand away from her, which caused her to instead cling on his arm. The haunted house had all the works. Ghosts, skeletons, zombies, and disembodied limbs among other things. There were also ghosts and fake Zubats that would drop down from the ceiling to scare any visitors. Leaf, however, was too scared to even look at anything. She kept her eyes shut, doing her best to walk in pace with Blue, and listened to all frightening sounds and screams in the haunted house._

_Blue felt like his arm was about to pop out of its socket from the way Leaf was clinging. He looked down at her to see that she had her eyes closed. There was no way she could appreciate a haunted house if she didn't see anything. At the end of the short hall they were walking through, Blue saw a "corpse" of a woman in white, her long black hair tangled and her face and limbs almost skeletal. It retreated back in the tombstone it was hiding in, waiting for someone to pass by. He smiled, knowing that would be perfect to show Leaf. When they approached it, Blue acted fast._

"_Leaf, look! This one isn't so scary," he told her, watching for her reaction. She opened her eyes just in time to see the "woman" jump out of the tombstone with a high pitched scream. Leaf responded with a scream of her own, hiding her face against Blue's arm._

"_Blue! I want to get out! I want to leave! I don't want to be here anymore," she cried, shuddering uncontrollably._

"_We're not even halfway through," he protested, surprised by her behavior._

"_I don't care! I want to get out of here! Please, Blue!"_

_He growled angrily, displeased that he couldn't fully enjoy the haunted house because of Leaf. He led her through the rest of it, only glancing at everything around him. Once they were outside, he pulled her to the side where no one could see them._

"_There, you big crybaby," he said disdainfully. "We're outside! You happy now?"_

_Leaf was looking down, her shoulders rising and falling with sudden jolts. He saw something fall to the ground, and it was when she brought a hand to wipe at her cheeks did he realize she was crying._

"_You're a big meanie, Blue," she said, both hands wiping at her eyes. "Why'd you make me go in there? I didn't want to go in!"_

"_It's not my fault that you're a crybaby," he retorted, angry that she had insulted him. Really, there was nothing to be scared of because everything in the haunted house was fake. He knew that, but she was probably dumb enough to believe it was all real. However, that wasn't helping with stopping her crying. He walked away, leaving her on her own to cry. He came back five minutes later, and she was still crying._

"_Why did you leave," she asked, her eyes red from all the tears._

"_Here," he said, handing her a small plastic cup that had two scoops of chocolate ice cream in it. He gave her a plastic spoon to eat it with, and she accepted both from him. She sat down on a patch of grass, eating the ice cream while still sniffing. He sat down next to her, listening to the little sniffs she made._

"_Why were you so scared being in there," he finally asked, looking at her from the corner of his eye._

"_My dad once read really scary stories to me," she said, setting the cup on her lap as she wiped her eyes again. "It doesn't make sense that ghosts are real, or how things that died can come back to life."_

_He thought that was a strange reason to have such an intense fear of ghosts and the like._

"_Thanks for the ice cream," she said, eating another spoonful. "I feel a little better now."_

"_It's nothing," he told her, even though the ice cream cost about $3. He could feel her staring at him, which caused him to look right at her. She was staring but with a smile on her face._

"_What," he asked, a little annoyed by her staring._

"_Nothing," she replied softly, going back to eating her ice cream. Just from looking into her brown eyes, Blue had a feeling that she accepted his silent apology._

_The current Blue sighed, looking up at the night sky. Ever since that day, he knew of her fear, even during their meeting at Pokémon Tower over in Lavender Town. Despite all that had happened between them, she still asked for him to stay with her until Red returned. However, he, still holding onto his anger toward her, was about to abandon her there. It amazed him that she depended on him, even though they weren't friends. He was ashamed that he thought of leaving her to face her fears when she was practically pleading for him to be with her. Though, he still wasn't there for her when she faced those fears in that tower. He only stayed with her for a while until Red returned, and it was Red who was with her when they explored the tower thoroughly._

_Blue looked away from the stars and continued on his way home. He was already almost at the end of Route 1. Considering everything he's done to her, such as making her cry, insulting her, treating her as someone less than him, he wouldn't be surprised if she never loved him as more than a friend. It was the only thing keeping him from telling her how he felt about her. Hell, sometimes the perfect dream of telling her ends up as a nightmare in his mind._

"_Leaf," he would begin, staring intently into her eyes. "I love you."_

"_I love you, too, Blue," she'd say, a smile on her face. "A best friend like you comes once in a lifetime! I'm really happy that you think the same!"_

_Blue slapped his forehead, despite that the scene was taking place in his mind. Why… Why did he have such feelings for a dense girl like Leaf? The girl was so painstakingly dense, he was sure that she'll sink to the bottom of the sea if you pushed her into it. The idiot didn't even know what blushing was! And it took _him_ to make her realize her own feelings for Red. Maybe, he shouldn't have helped her realize that. Then he would have been able to have her for himself and have the one thing Red couldn't win._

"_I'm fucked up," he muttered as he entered Pallet Town. He walked over to his house, getting his keys out to open it in case it was locked. When he was at the front door, he turned the doorknob, which didn't budge. He unlocked it with his key and stepped in, seeing Daisy eat oatmeal cookies as she watched a show about stupid stunts criminals have done to avoid being arrested._

"_Welcome home, Blue," she said cheerfully, standing up from the dinner table she was sitting at._

"_Hey," he said, taking off his shoes and leaving them by the front door._

"_Are you okay?"_

"_Yeah, I'm just tired."_

"_I know the perfect thing to cheer you up," she said, walking to the living room. She picked up a small brown box from the couch, a string tied around it, which kept an envelope secure on it._

"_This is from Leaf," said Daisy, handing the box to Blue. "It came by this afternoon."_

_Blue quickly set the box down on the table and undid the string. He opened up the envelope first, wondering what she had to say._

"_Um, can I open the box," asked Daisy, looking very curious. "I really want to see what she got you."_

"_Go ahead," he said as he began to read what Leaf wrote._

"Hi, Blue!

I'm writing this from Goldenrod City. It's really huge, and I found out they're working on a train route to connect Johto and Kanto. Johto is a really nice region, and I wish you were here with me to see it. You're probably mad that I left on my own, so I got you something while I was shopping. It's a Pokégear! Now we can talk to each other while I'm over here. You're probably really busy with remodeling the gym, but I hope to hear from you soon. I wrote my number on the back of the paper, so call me when you have the chance.

—Leaf"

_Daisy had taken out the Pokégear box that was in the brown box, very excited to see the gift. Blue turned the page of the letter, and then looked at the envelope._

_"The idiot forgot to write her number," he said in disbelief._

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Apparently, I wasn't very clear in my last author note. So, let's try this again. These endings in italics are FLASHBACKS. They happened a few months after the end of "Kanto Adventure" but before "Johto Journey." The Leaf you're reading about in these endings is Leaf almost three years ago. The current Leaf, the one that Silver met in the prologue, is with Blue. She is NOT looking for Red at the same time Ethan and Lyra are on their adventure. Okay, back to the story, Ethan and Lyra made a big mistake to give their number to Joey. Next chapter, our duo are going to climb Sprout Tower and have their first gym battle. Thank you all for reviewing my story! You guys are great for taking the time to do that!**_


	4. The First Gym Badge

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 1: The First Steps

Lyra stared at the tower in front of her, the building stretching to the sky. It wasn't the tallest tower in Johto, but to Lyra, it was impressive. She gulped, a little anxious about getting to the top of it. She also had no idea what was inside, which added to her anxiety.

"Hey, relax," said Ethan, putting a hand on her shoulder. "If you're getting nervous about this tower, I'm worried you'll pass out when you see the taller ones."

"Th-there are towers taller than this one," she asked in surprise, unable to imagine anything bigger than Sprout Tower.

"Yeah, Goldenrod and Ecruteak have some of the bigger ones. And those places are actually close by to Violet City. Anyway, we're burning daylight standing out here! Let's get inside already!"

Ethan walked ahead of her, his Chikorita following him. Lyra glanced down at Cynder, who gave a small nod, and felt a little more confident to climb Sprout Tower. She followed Ethan, entering the large tower. Inside, there were two large Bellsprout statues on both sides of the entrance, wooden walls outlining the room, and a pillar in the center that slowly swayed from side to side. The wooden floor creaked as they walked closer to the moving pillar. Chikorita and Cynder ran ahead, running in circles around the pillar. Lyra laughed as she watched them while Ethan just smiled at their energy.

"You two," yelled a monk in black robes. "Control your Pokémon! This tower is a place for training, not for playing!"

"S-sorry," said Lyra, scooping up Cynder in her arms. "It won't happen again."

"Hmph. Good."

"Don't worry about him, Lyra," said Ethan, watching the monk walk away. "He's just one of those serious monks that are all uptight. Ready to go to the second floor?"

"Um, yeah! Cynder and I can handle it," she said, putting Cynder on her shoulder. Ethan picked up Chikorita and placed him on his shoulder, walking to the ladder in the room. He climbed up and Lyra followed, climbing up the wooden ladder. On the second floor, a monk stood further away, his eyes closed in meditation. When Ethan and Lyra walked by him, he opened his eyes, taking out a pokéball from one of his sleeves.

"However hard we battle," he began calmly. "The tower will stand strong."

"Well, Lyra, show him what you're made of," said Ethan, pushing her in front of him.

"Oh, um, okay," said Lyra, quickly putting Cynder down on the floor. She was still a little unfamiliar with trainer battles, and she wondered why Ethan wanted her to battle against the monk. Her opponent sent out a Bellsprout, a Pokémon Lyra didn't know much about.

"Ethan, what's that," she asked, Cynder flaring up the flames on his back. She vaguely remembered coming across the Pokémon when looking for a Mareep yesterday.

"A Bellsprout," replied Ethan matter-of-factly. "It's a Grass-type, so have Cynder use a Fire-type move on it. He _does_ know a fire move, right?"

"Oh, yeah! He does! Cynder, use Ember," she ordered as the Bellsprout used Vine Whip. Cynder avoided the Vine Whip and blew a small burst of flame from his mouth at the Bellsprout. The move knocked out the Bellsprout, and the monk sent out his next Pokémon, which was another Bellsprout. However, since Lyra knew that Cynder's Ember was strong against Bellsprout, Cynder easily defeated the Bellsprout, and the same was said for the next Bellsprout the monk sent out.

"I fought hard, but I'm still too weak," said the monk, returning Bellsprout to its pokéball.

"Just keep training," said Lyra with sincerity. "I'm sure you can get stronger if you train a little more."

"See, Lyra," said Ethan, elbowing her lightly. "You are pretty good at battles. You only had to man-up to the challenge."

"But, I'm a girl," she said flatly, unsure if Ethan was implying that she was masculine. "Wait, did you have me battle to see how I'd do?"

"Pretty much. You're not so bad, being a newbie and all."

"Hey! You're a newbie, too!"

Ethan laughed as he headed over to the ladder nearby, climbing down to the first floor. Lyra quickly followed him, hoping she wouldn't have to battle too much. Well, she won't mind much if Ethan did his fair share. She didn't want to be the one doing all the work. Right when she finished that thought, Ethan ran into another monk, who challenged him to a battle. Lyra watched the battle carefully, hoping to learn a few more things about battling. Since Chikorita didn't have a type advantage, Ethan had him use Tackle, but Poison Powder helped to speed things along.

With that done, they went up another ladder and were on the second floor again. Yet another monk was there, so Lyra had her Hoothoot, Zephyr, battle against his Bellsprout. After Lyra received her prize money, they went up to the third floor. Lyra hoped that she wouldn't struggle with money, being that all the trainers she's battled so far only gave her a little. The only thing that could remedy that was to battle more or stick to a very strict budget. Suddenly, battling didn't seem like a bad thing to her. On the third floor, there were three monks waiting to battle, making Lyra nervous despite the opportunity to win more money.

"I call the first guy," said Ethan, running up to challenge the closest monk. That left Lyra to walk ahead and challenge the second in line. It was from this monk that Lyra found out that the "Elder" had a TM that could light pitch-black darkness. She then remembered that cave in Route 31 that was said to be pitch-black inside. That TM would definitely be useful to explore it. After defeating the monk's only Bellsprout, Lyra looked up to see Ethan battling the next monk that was waiting.

"Go on ahead, Lyra," he said over his battle. "I think the Elder is up ahead. I'm going to battle him after I healed up my Pokémon after this battle."

She gave a small nod, her heart beating rapidly from unease. Would she have to battle the Elder? He couldn't be that strong, could he? She sent Cynder out, hoping that he would bring some advantage to whatever lied ahead. But what was ahead was something she didn't expect. Standing before an old monk, who Lyra believed was the Elder, was Silver, his back facing Lyra.

"You showed us what you got, and it is indeed good," began the Elder, taking out a cd case out of his robe's sleeve and handing it to Silver. "Take this Technical Machine. However, I highly advise that you care more about your Pokémon. The way you treat them is rather harsh. Remember, Pokémon are not tools of war."

Silver turned and walked away, an annoyed look on his face. He stopped a few feet away from Lyra, the girl staring in surprise at him.

"Hmph, he calls himself the Elder, but he was no match for me," said Silver in an arrogant tone. "Sure enough, those who lecture how you should be 'nice' to Pokémon, they cannot defeat me. All I care about are strong Pokémon that win every time. The rest of them don't mean anything to me."

"How come you're not in jail right now," asked Lyra, surprised that the police still haven't caught Silver. What on earth was the police force of Johto doing?

"I've been evading the police since I was eleven," replied Silver, walking past her. Lyra's jaw dropped at that, watching as he headed down the ladder.

"He… He's not a wanted criminal, is he," she asked Cynder, who tilted his head in confusion. "Hey! That wasn't very nice what he said about other Pokémon! All Pokémon matter! Why would they be here now if they didn't? He's really starting to—"

Her Pokégear began to ring, cutting her off. She took it out of her pocket and answered it.

"Hello," she asked, wondering who could be calling her now.

"Hey, Lyra! Were you sleeping in," asked a familiar voice. It was Joey.

"Not really. I'm in Sprout Tower right now."

"Hey, do you remember my super-cool Rattata? I'm sure my Rattata is different from regular Rattata. It's like my Rattata is in the top percentage of Rattata. Do you know what I'm saying?"

"Um, Joey? I think we talked about this before."

"Okay, bye!"

Lyra hung up, a little confused that Joey mentioned his Rattata again. She tentatively walked up to the Elder, who greeted her with a gentle smile.

"So good of you to come here," he said, his smile turning into a grin. "Sprout Tower is a place of training. People and Pokémon test their bonds to build a bright future together. I am the final test."

"Does that mean I have to battle you," asked Lyra as Cynder stepped in front of her.

"You must," replied the Elder, taking out a pokéball from his sleeve. "Allow me to check the ties between you and your Pokémon!"

He tossed the pokéball, releasing a Bellsprout. Lyra quickly ordered Cynder to use Ember, the fire attack knocking out the Bellsprout. She switched out Cynder and sent out Voltage while the Elder sent out a Hoothoot.

"That's a Flying-type," thought Lyra, remembering her own Hoothoot. "What did Ethan say they were weak to? Electric-types, right?"

She had Voltage use Thundershock, but the Hoothoot used Hypnosis first, putting the Mareep to sleep.

"Voltage, wake up," yelled Lyra but to no avail. Her Mareep peacefully slept, even when the Hoothoot attacked her with Peck. The Elder's Hoothoot attacked with another Peck, which still didn't wake up Voltage. After a few more pecks from Hoothoot, Voltage finally woke up in time to hear Lyra tell her to use Thundershock. The attack hit, greatly weakening and paralyzing Hoothoot. However, Voltage was also weakened from the attacks she endured while asleep. Taking advantage of Hoothoot's paralysis, which slowed down the owl Pokémon, Lyra ordered another Thundershock, finally defeating the Hoothoot. She was grateful she took that class yesterday to know what paralysis did to Pokémon.

Lyra switched out Voltage since she was too weak to fight any more, sending out Cynder again. The Elder sent out another Bellsprout, which made Lyra confident on what she had to do next. A well-placed Ember defeated the Grass-type.

"The way you battle is quite elegant," said the Elder, calling back Bellsprout.

"Really? I don't think I'm that good yet," said Lyra, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.

"Nonsense. You should be able to stand up to Falkner. And you should be able to make good use of this."

The Elder took out a cd case from his sleeve, making Lyra imagine if he had many more stashed in there. He handed the cd to her, which she put away in her bag.

"It's a Technical Machine called Flash," explained the Elder. "When a Pokémon learns Flash, you can illuminate caves no matter how dark they may be. You can try it on Bellsprout, for example."

"How can a Grass-type like Bellsprout illuminate a cave," thought Lyra, finding it difficult to imagine such a thing. "Unless they have a hidden ability to glow."

"Thank you very much for the TM," said Lyra, giving a quick bow to the Elder. "I'll take good care of it!"

She headed out, following the long path back to the entrance of the tower. When she made it back to the first floor, she met up with Ethan, who had returned from the Pokémon Center.

"Lyra, did you get the prize from the Elder," he asked curiously.

"Yeah, I did. It was kind of tough but my Pokémon pulled through," she replied happily. "The Elder even said I can take on Falkner."

"Whoa, don't get too ahead of yourself. You should probably do a little more training before doing that. Better to prepare yourself for even tougher battles."

"Is Falkner really tough?"

"Well, he _is_ the gym leader. That title means that they're the strongest in the gym, and they didn't get there just from being a janitor."

"Okay, I'll go do more training then! My Pokémon have to be the best they can be!"

* * *

><p>"What are you waiting for," asked Ethan, giving Lyra a small push. "I already got my badge, and I'm waiting on you to get yours."<p>

"I-I don't think I can do this," she said, tensing up as Ethan continued to push her to the door of the gym. "I'll challenge him tomorrow instead."

"No way. You're getting that badge today, no matter what. Stop being a sissy and get it over with."

Lyra gulped, even though her mouth was dry. She glanced down, noticing that Voltage was also pushing her from behind her legs to get inside the gym

"O-okay! I'll go challenge him," she said, stepping away from Ethan. "I hope all the training I did was enough."

"Good luck! I'll wait for you at the Pokémon Center, and you better show me the badge when you come back!"

Lyra stepped through the glass doors of the gym, her Mareep dutifully following her.

"You really think we're ready for this," asked Lyra to Voltage, staring up at the wooden pathway high up in the air. The gym was larger than it appeared on the outside. She looked over at Voltage, who stomped on the ground with her front foot. She seemed very eager to battle, unlike Lyra. Lyra swallowed her apprehension as she stepped on the wooden square close by. It began to move, Voltage quickly jumping on before it rose up to the wooden pathway above. There were two trainers, and a blue-haired man standing farther ahead. That must be Falkner, and Lyra wondered if his hair was natural or dyed. She walked along the wooden path to challenge the first trainer, who slowly walked toward her.

"I can't believe how ridiculously high this is," he said uneasily. "But from up here, you can tell what it feels like to be a bird Pokémon! Let me see if you're good enough to face Falkner!"

He tossed a pokéball, releasing a Spearow, while Lyra stepped to the side to let Voltage battle against it. The Spearow leered at Voltage, but it didn't stop her from using Thundershock, which knocked out the Spearow.

"Even though you're a rookie trainer," began the Bird Keeper, handing Lyra her prize money. "You're not bothered by these heights at all… You're really something!"

"Oh, thanks," said Lyra, accepting the cash. "I'm not afraid of heights, but I am afraid of other things."

After putting the money away in her bag, she followed the path to the next trainer, who didn't look very impressed by her.

"You think you're some kind of big shot," he asked in an annoyed tone. "We'll see what happens when you get pushed around up here. Think you'll stagger and fall?"

"Why would you even say something like that," asked Lyra, trying not to imagine falling off the pathway.

"People here are training night and day to become bird Pokémon masters," he continued, ignoring her question. "Bring it on!"

He sent out a Pidgey to battle against Voltage. The Pidgey started off with Sand-Attack, lowering Voltage's accuracy. That didn't hinder her from successfully hitting Pidgey with Thundershock, making the little bird Pokémon faint. The Bird Keeper frowned as he sent out another Pidgey. This Pidgey also used Sand-Attack, which caused Voltage's Thundershock to miss it. It used Sand-Attack again to make the next Thundershock miss. Luckily, the next Thundershock hit the Pidgey, causing it to faint and end the battle. Voltage gave a huff, as if trying to make her superiority known.

"Falkner's skills are for real," said the Bird Keeper, returning his Pidgey back to its pokéball. "Don't get cocky!"

"But I'm not," said Lyra, oblivious to Voltage's current attitude. After the Bird Keeper paid her, Lyra walked the very short distance to Falkner. He was wearing a blue kimono uniform, reflecting the city's value of upholding tradition. She stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath, before walking up to him. This was it. Her first gym leader battle.

"I'm Falkner," he began when she approached. "The Violet City Pokémon Gym Leader! People say you can clip Flying-type Pokémon's wings with a jolt of electricity…"

Lyra warily looked at Voltage, who was standing beside her, and had a feeling that she was already leaving a bad impression for Falkner.

"I won't allow such insults to bird Pokémon," he said strongly. "I'll show you the real power of the magnificent bird Pokémon!"

He sent out a Pidgey while Voltage jumped in front of Lyra, looking very eager to battle. The Pidgey used Sand-Attack, which seemed to annoy Voltage as she unleashed a Thundershock. The attack hit, and the Pidgey fainted, prompting Falkner to send out his next Pokémon.

"The wind is finally with us," he said, releasing a Pidgeotto from its pokéball.

Lyra ordered Voltage to use Thunder Wave, but before she could use it, Pidgeotto charged toward Voltage with a Tackle. The contact caused the electricity in Voltage's wool to paralyze the Pidgeotto, making Thunder Wave useless. Voltage quickly followed up with Thundershock as Pidgeotto was hindered by its paralysis. It was weakened greatly by the attack, but it wasn't enough to defeat it. Voltage tried to use another Thundershock but, thanks to Pidgey's earlier Sand-Attack, the attack missed. Pidgeotto tried to tackle Voltage, but the paralysis made it very difficult and caused it to miss. Voltage used another Thundershock, finally finishing off Pidgeotto. The bird Pokémon collapsed to ground, Voltage holding her head up high as she walked back to Lyra's side.

"Good job, Voltage," said Lyra enthusiastically. "We won our first gym badge now!"

"For pity's sake," said Falkner with irritation as he called back Pidgeotto. "My dad's cherished bird Pokémon… But, a defeat is a defeat. All right. Take this official Pokémon League badge. This one is the Zephyr Badge."

He reached into the vest of his kimono, taking out a gray badge shaped like wings and giving it to Lyra. She put it away in her pocket, having nowhere else to put it.

"It has the same name as my Hoothoot," giggled Lyra, admiring the badge before looking up at Falkner.

"With that badge, Pokémon, including traded Pokémon, will obey you without question," explained Falkner, crossing his arms over his chest. "It also enables you to use the hidden move Rock Smash anytime outside of battle. Here, take this with you."

Falkner grabbed a nearby duffel bag that was on the floor, opened it, and handed Lyra a cd case, similar to the one she received from the Elder in Sprout Tower. She quickly put it away in her bag.

"By using a TM, a Pokémon will instantly learn a new move," he said with a small nod. "Think before you act—a TM can be used only once. The TM I gave you contains Roost. It restores half the health of Pokémon."

"Thanks, Falkner," said Lyra with a smile. "I didn't know about that, and I'm glad you explained it to me."

He smiled himself, and said, "There are Pokémon Gyms in cities and towns ahead. You should make good use of them. As for your next move… I suggest Azalea Town. For now, I'm going to train harder to become the greatest Bird Keeper of all!"

"Azalea Town, got it. Thanks for everything, Falkner! I hope to see you again soon!"

Lyra waved at him as she walked back to the wooden platform. The platform took her back to the ground level, and she made her way out of the gym. To her surprise, Ethan was outside waiting for her.

"Lyra! You get the badge," he asked, walking up to her.

"Yeah, I did," she replied, taking the badge out of her pocket and showing him. "See?"

"I knew you could do it. Anyway, I'm on my way to the PokéMart to pick up the egg we gave Professor Elm. In the meantime, why don't you heal your Pokémon?"

"Okay, I'll meet you outside of the mart then!"

Lyra ran to the Pokémon Center to quickly heal up her Pokémon. She then ran back to the PokéMart, Ethan already waiting for her.

"Here, I bought you this because you need something to keep your badges in," he told her, giving her a small, purple velvet pouch with a green string.

"Thanks, Ethan! And you got it in my favorite color, too," she said happily, putting her newly earned Zephyr badge in the pouch and tying it up with the string. "Where's the egg you had to pick up?"

"Right here," he replied, taking off his backpack and opening it. He took out the egg and showed Lyra. However, this caught the attention of another person, who approached the two in curiosity. It was a woman, her hair done up intricately and wearing an exquisite kimono.

"Oh, my," she said, staring at the egg in wonder. "That egg must be—"

"Who the heck are you," asked Ethan, holding the egg securely in his arms. The woman stared at the egg and nodded, not listening to Ethan.

"I see… So it was handed from Mr. Pokémon to Professor Elm, and then to you. Now I get it."

She took a step back, giving Ethan a gentle look.

"That egg is very important," she said to him. "Please, do take good care of it for me. Is that understood? I'm counting on you."

She walked away, but there was something off about the way she walked. She had this sway to her body, as if she was about to dance.

"I'm not usually into older ladies, but she was kind of hot," said Ethan, a devilish smirk on his face.

"Um, Ethan," began Lyra, looking at her friend. "I don't think you'll have much of a chance with her unless she's a lolicon. And even then, your chances are very slim because you're a little too old and don't have the look of a shota."

"There are still dreams, if you know what I mean."

"I didn't need to know that," said Lyra, laughing nervously. "Anyway, Falkner told me that we should head over to Azalea Town."

"That's south from here. Oh, yeah, before I forget—" he reached into his backpack, taking out a cd case and putting the egg back in. "When you were out training yesterday, I got this from a guy in Route 36. I was able to get a second one from him so I can give it to you."

"Wow, is this a TM, too," she asked, receiving the cd and putting it away in her bag.

"No, this one is an HM, a hidden machine. Unlike a TM, it can be used as many times as you want, but it's harder for Pokémon to forget it. Anyway, Azalea Town is pretty much the _only_ place we can go. There's a weird tree blocking the way to Goldenrod and Ecruteak, anyway."

"A tree? Why not just cut it down?"

"I heard that someone actually tried that. That thing is as hard as a rock. Heh, hard as a rock."

Lyra sighed and walked down the road to Route 32, Ethan following her and still laughing at his own joke. On the side of the road, a man leaned against the rocky wall, eyeing them suspiciously. When they were close, he moved so that he was blocking their way.

"You have some good Pokémon there," he stated, looking at Voltage and Chikorita. "It must be from all the training you gave them, and I bet Violet Gym was especially helpful. As a souvenir of Violet City, I'll give you this."

He reached into his pants pocket, taking out a yellow seed and handing it to Ethan.

"That Miracle Seed increases the power of Grass-type moves," he explained, glancing at Chikorita. "Your experiences in Violet City should be useful for your journey."

"Uh, thanks," said Ethan, giving the Miracle Seed for Chikorita to hold. "We'll be going then."

They slowly walked by, Ethan watching the man carefully. They continued on through Route 32, walking through patches of tall grass and battling the occasional trainer along the way. As they traveled further, Lyra looked up to see the train track that was just ahead.

"Ethan! Is that the track for the Magnet Train," she asked excitedly, pointing at the structure.

"Yep, and that means Goldenrod City is close by," replied Ethan, an excited smile on his face.

"Are… Are you going to try to find him?"

"I am. When we get there, I'm going to start looking for him."

He stopped walking, looking at the fork in the road. One path lead through the grass, and the other was a dock with some fishermen.

"Let's split up for a bit," he told Lyra. "I'll take the dock. You can go through the grass."

"Um, are you sure," asked Lyra with hesitance.

"You'll be fine," he said, walking through the grass to get to the dock. Lyra glanced at the tall grass she had to go walk through. She put Voltage back in her pokéball and sent out Zephyr to follow her. She couldn't help but gawk at the train track as she walked under it. Her mind began to imagine what it would be like to ride the Magnet Train to… Where was it that it went to again? She couldn't remember, but she did know that it was a city in Kanto. That was a long way from home. All the new sites over there both intrigued and scared Lyra, but she knew her mom would want her to see them and tell her about it. In the tall grass, she found some interesting stuff lying around, like a Great Ball and even a TM. She met up with Ethan again when the roads connected again.

"How are you holding up," asked Ethan to Lyra, walking down the road.

"Okay, I guess. How much further to Azalea Town?"

Ethan took out his Pokégear, checking the map on it.

"There's a cave called Union Cave that we have to go through. Then it's smooth sailing to Azalea," he replied, looking at the routes they had to go through.

"A cave? Will it be really dark in there?"

"I don't know. We'll just have to go inside it to find out."

Ethan put away his Pokégear as they approached a Pokémon Center. Figuring they should take advantage of the opportunity, they entered the building to heal up their Pokémon. Lyra sat down on a chair to wait, Ethan sitting beside her, and looked through her bag at the accumulating items. She took out her Apricorn Box, checking the different colored apricorns that she's collected so far.

"You've been collecting apricorns," asked a voice, causing Lyra and Ethan to look up. A middle-aged man walked toward them, a happy expression on his face. He was wearing a red shirt with worn out jeans that had a hole on one of the legs. In his hand was a plastic bag that had unseen items.

"Yeah, I've got four kinds already," replied Lyra, opening her box to let the man see.

"Did you know that apricorns can be made into pokéballs? Kurt, a guy in Azalea Town, collects a lot of them. He gave me special pokéballs called Lure Balls. Here, I'll share some with you guys!"

He opened his bag and took out green pokéballs, handing two to the both of them.

"If you guys are ever in Azalea Town, you should definitely go visit Kurt. You won't be disappointed!"

"We'll take your word for it," said Ethan, putting away the Lure Balls in his backpack.

"Thank you for the gift," said Lyra, smiling happily. "We're on our way to Azalea so we'll be able to see Kurt."

The man waved at them as he walked out of the Pokémon Center. Another man walked in, most obviously a fisherman since he was carrying fishing rods and boxes of bait and tackle. He sat down next to Lyra, looking very content. Lyra watched as he set the fishing rods to the side and opened a box full of colorful tackle. He noticed Lyra watching, looking at her with a smile.

"This area is great for fishing," he told her, catching her by surprise. "That's why there are lots of fishermen out on the docks. Did you feel like you wanted to try fishing, too?"

"Um, uh, I don't really know if I'll be any good at it," replied Lyra, looking a little embarrassed.

"Lyra," began Ethan, joining in the conversation. "That means you should try. Hey, man, if you can give my friend here a spare fishing rod so she can give it a shot, that'd be really great."

The fisherman grinned, grabbing two of the fishing rods he brought in. They were wooden with a line and lure, a very simple design. He gave them to Ethan and Lyra, more than willing to part with the fishing rods.

"When you want to go fishing," began the fisherman, getting their attention. "Face the water and use the rod first. Then concentrate and look closely at the water. When you get a bite, pull back on the line. You'll see what happens next. It's good to fish wherever there is water, be it sea or stream."

"It's not like we were going to try fishing in the grass," said Ethan under his breath, earning an elbow to the side by Lyra. The fisherman looked at the watch on his wrist, getting up and gathering his things.

"I have to get going," he told them. "Good luck on your fishing!"

"Okay, bye," said Lyra, putting away the Old Rod in her bag. "Thanks for the fishing rod!"

He walked out, leaving Ethan and Lyra alone in the Pokémon Center.

"People are really nice to give us great gifts," said Lyra, closing up her bag.

"No, I think that guy just wanted to get rid of his crappy fishing rods," commented Ethan, staring at the Old Rod before putting it away in his backpack.

"Slowpoke Tails! Come get your Slowpoke Tails," yelled someone, who was entering the Pokémon Center. Both Ethan and Lyra turned to see yet another man, wearing a red shirt and blue pants, carrying a box.

"You two," he said, walking up to them. "How would you like some tasty, nutritious Slowpoke Tails?"

Lyra gasped while Ethan looked repulsed.

"No, thanks," said Ethan, shaking his hand to the man. "Go ask someone else."

"But, I need you to buy one from me," said the man, suddenly sounding depressed. "If you don't, my family might starve. And I'm doing my best to save up money for my son's upcoming birthday. He's always wanted a bike, but I could never afford to buy one for him. Please, you'll make a little boy very happy if buy a Slowpoke Tail."

"Th-that's so sad," said Lyra, sniffing a little. "Okay! I'll buy one! How much is it?"

"For you, just $1,000,000! What do you say?"

"That's too much! I can't buy that!"

"Fine, then. I hope you're happy for making a little boy go present-less this year," said the man, walking away. "And I thought kids these days were loaded… I should have stuck to selling Magikarp."

"Wah! Now I feel terrible," said Lyra, covering her face with her hands.

"Uh, Lyra," said Ethan, tapping her shoulder. "He could have been lying, you know. About the family stuff, I mean."

"But, why would he lie about something like that?"

"To make money. People do whatever they can to get it. Anyway, I think our Pokémon are healed now. You want to go try some fishing after this?"

"Um, okay! I wonder what kinds of Pokémon are in the water."

"Definitely Water-types," he said, as if common knowledge.

Ethan and Lyra picked up their healed Pokémon and headed back out to Route 32. They headed north to the dock, the best place to fish at for now. Lyra asked Ethan to try first, so she could watch and learn better. It would be easier for her if she had a demonstration before attempting herself. Ethan brought out the Old Rod from his backpack, casting the line out a good distance away. They waited for a moment, watching the bob intently.

"This is going to take forever," said Ethan, looking up at the sky out of boredom.

"It's not as exciting as I thought it would be," added Lyra, sighing a little.

Suddenly, the bob was pulled under the surface, tugging at the line. Ethan quickly pulled back on the rod, reeling in whatever was hooked. As it drew closer, he lifted the rod up so that they could see what was hooked.

"Oh, it's just a Magikarp," said Ethan with a bored tone, staring at the red-orange fish Pokémon. "Well, time to catch it. Chikorita, tackle it."

Ethan held out the Magikarp, which was still hooked, over the dock, giving Chikorita the chance to attack it.

"What you're doing seems kind of messed up," said Lyra, taking a step back. Ethan shrugged, taking out the new Lure Ball and throwing it at the Magikarp. It was drawn into the ball, which fell to the floor and began to shake. It eventually clicked, signaling the success of the capture. Ethan reached into his backpack and took out the Pokédex, reading up on it.

"Bolly! You caught a Magikarp," said Ethan's Pokédex. "What would you like to name the old chap?"

"Hmm, since it's one of the weakest Pokémon ever," mused Ethan, a grin on his face. "I think I'll name him… Silver."

Lyra's jaw dropped at that, wondering what that tsundere would think if he overheard this. The grin on Ethan's face disappeared, realization dawning on him.

"No, wait," he said, a small frown on his lips. "Magikarp evolve into Gyarados, a really strong Pokémon. That'd be giving that guy way too much credit. Yeah, on second thought, forget the nickname."

Ethan put away his Pokémon and Old Rod in his backpack, picking up the pokéball that was on the floor.

"Well, I'm off to train this guy," he told Lyra, clipping the ball to his trainer belt. "You might want to try to find a Water-type. Caves usually have Rock-type Pokémon, and all your Pokémon have a weakness to that."

"Okay! I'll catch a Magikarp like you then," said Lyra, digging through her bag for her fishing rod.

"No way! Go find a different Water-type! I don't want to have the same Pokémon as you."

"All right. You didn't have to bite my head off," mumbled Lyra, walking away to the nearest patch of tall grass. She headed south, searching the tall grass for any Water-types. However, she kind of doubted that there would be water Pokémon on _land_. She sighed, seeing that she'll probably have to hold off on a Water-type and try to endure the cave with her current party. In the meantime, she started training her Pokémon so that they would handle the cave. Many hours were spent on that task alone; the sun had already set by the time she believed she's done enough training for the day.

Zephyr, her Hoothoot, followed her through the grass, heading back to the Pokémon Center. However, a rustle from a patch of grass caught their attention. A blue Pokémon with purple branch-like gills on the side of its face. Lyra's eyes widened at that, having only seen that species of Pokémon with another trainer.

"Zephyr, use Peck," said Lyra, pointing at the blue Pokémon. Zephyr obediently performed the attack, flying close to the Pokémon and pecking it with its beak. The blue Pokémon countered with a burst of water from its mouth, which was Water Gun. Zephyr pecked it again as it began to kick up mud around it. Lyra then ordered Zephyr to use Hypnosis, successfully putting the Pokémon to sleep. Lyra reached into her bag and pulled out a regular pokéball, throwing it at the sleeping Pokémon. The ball began to shake back and forth, Lyra clenching her hand into a fist as she watched. It finally clicked, and Lyra skipped happily over to it.

"Yay! Now we have a new Water-type friend with us," she said, taking her Pokédex out of her bag. "Oh, she's a Wooper! And she has a jolly nature. Hm, Cynder is around a lot of girls… It's just like a harem. I guess being a bishonen is a curse sometimes."

"You seriously need to stop talking to yourself," said her Pokédex. "It's kind of creepy. Anyway, what do you want to name the poor sucker? Or you can spare it and let it live with its given name."

Lyra thought for a moment before entering her new Wooper's nickname.

"'Cascade?' Yep, that's definitely a cry for attention. It'd be funny if it weren't so sad."

"Why do you care so much about what I name my Pokémon," asked Lyra, growing annoyed by the Pokédex's comments.

"Actually, I don't care. In fact, I can care less. Just watch…"

It was quiet for a couple seconds, only the sound of the gentle breeze could be heard.

"See what I did there," asked the Pokédex. "I was caring less. It's really easy for someone like me, and it kind of makes me feel bad for you, what with your feelings and all."

"Why can't you be nice like Ethan's Pokédex?"

"Hey, you're actually better off with me around. There are much worse Pokédexes out there. In fact, one of my designers had a really messed up one. He was all 'carbon-based life forms are inferior to technology' and stuff like that. Compared to that guy, you're getting special treatment from me. So, suck it up, you ingrate. Or do you want me to start acting like that guy? Because I can do that. It'd be no problem for me."

"No! No! I'm sorry! I'll be more grateful from now on!"

"Good! Now all we have to do now is make you less of an idiot and stop nicknaming your Pokémon stupid names. Then, you'll probably become tolerable for me."

Lyra sighed, putting away her Pokédex in her bag. She walked back to the Pokémon Center to heal up her Pokémon and start training Wooper. She had a few more hours to train before it got too late. By tomorrow, she'll be ready to go through Union Cave.

* * *

><p>"<em>You jerk," began Leaf, obviously quite peeved. "I buy you a Pokégear so we can talk, and you still don't call me? Blue, you might be busy and stuff with the gym, but that's no excuse to be rude! You could have just called just to say 'hi' or whatever. But, I guess some things are more important than friends."<em>

_Leaf was sitting at a table in Goldenrod's Department Store on the highest floor of the building. The few people that were there stared at her since she was talking loudly to her Pokégear._

"_Okay, you need to relax," said Blue on the other line. "First, I do care about my friends, especially when they disappear and I don't hear from them. Second, I would have called if _you_ hadn't forgotten to write your number. So, don't get mad at me for your own stupidities!"_

_Leaf was quiet for a moment before asking, "Are you serious? My number wasn't in the letter?"_

"_No, it wasn't. I looked at both sides of the paper and even the envelope. There wasn't any number."_

"_Oh… Oops. Sorry about that. Good thing I got your number when I bought the Pokégear."_

"_It's fine," he said with a sigh. "I'm just glad to know that you're okay."_

"_Of course I'll be okay! Really, Blue, I thought you were more optimistic than that."_

"_Why'd you leave without saying anything, though? You could have told me."_

"_I just wanted to do some exploring all by myself. And Johto seemed like the perfect place to do it, so I came over here."_

"_You're looking for him, aren't you?"_

_Leaf's breath hitched in her throat, eyes wide that he had so easily figured it out. Blue inwardly sighed, knowing that was the main reason she'd go to Johto._

"_No, I'm not," she replied with a steady tone, quickly regaining her composure._

"_Don't lie to me, Leaf. I can tell when you lie," he said, his voice rising a little in volume. "Why couldn't you just fucking tell me that? Just flat-out tell me that you're going to Johto to look for Red and that you don't want me around. Not pull a disappearing act like that bastard did and make me worry about you!"_

"_I… I'm sorry," she said in a low voice, looking down at the table._

"_Didn't you think things through? Did it occur to you how I'd feel to know that you just left to Johto without telling me? Without hearing from you for about a week, wondering if you're safe, hurt, or fucking dead somewhere? You pretty much did the same thing Red did to you, but it's me and you this time."_

"_I said I was sorry," said Leaf, loud enough for everyone around her to hear. "Just shut up already! I have a lot on my mind as it is, and I don't need to hear your damn emotional complaints to stress me out further! I called you so you can make me feel better, so I wouldn't feel alone doing this!"_

"_Well, what the fuck did you expect after doing what you did? That I was going to be excited and shit and tell you about my day? Don't be stupid. And if you didn't want to be alone, you should have asked me to go with you."_

"_I don't want you anywhere near me right now! I'm trying to figure something out on my own and having you around would only confuse me! Otherwise, I would have asked. I'm not that fucking stupid!"_

_Blue was silent on the other line for a while._

"_Whatever," he finally said. "Just let me know when you find Red so we can all move on with our lives."_

_He hung up, and Leaf pulled the Pokégear away from her ear to glare at it. She closed it, setting it on the table. Blue, on the other hand, stared at the floor of his room with disappointment. It was obvious to him that she still loved Red. But what was it about that guy that she found attractive or whatever? Maybe she had a thing for the quiet, brooding types. Or was it an "opposites attract" sort of thing? They shared some similarities but Leaf was definitely more extroverted than Red, but not as extreme as Blue._

"_What the hell does she see in him," he thought with frustration. He didn't have the chance to catch up with Red, mainly because he was angry and resentful of him, so he didn't get to see how he had changed during the years when they weren't friends. That is, if he had changed at all. Throughout all his encounters with the quiet boy, Blue didn't see anything different about him. He could only assume that he was the same quiet, annoyingly stubborn boy that would occasionally one-up him in front of Leaf, both as children and as teenagers. And he even took the Champion title away from him just to disappear. Could it be that Leaf loved him for being the strongest trainer? So she could have the fame and recognition that went along with it?_

_He mentally shook his head, knowing that Leaf wasn't like that. Maybe, she loved him because he actually attempted to fix their broken friendship, not hang on to any feelings of anger like Blue had. He stuck by Leaf through thick and thin while on their adventure, so it would be natural that they'd develop feelings for each other. If anything, that proved that he was very devoted to Leaf, and he most definitely helped her whenever she needed it. Blue, however, rarely helped her during the journey through Kanto. He gave her some tips, an item, stayed with her when she was frightened of Pokémon Tower, and explored the Sevii Islands together. But, that wasn't enough, was it?_

_He began to get worried, wondering if Leaf even acknowledged what he's been doing for her during the past couple months after Red's disappearance. Surely, she wasn't _that_ dense, right? But, even if she did acknowledge it, that wouldn't change the feelings she has for Red or her more-than-probable view of seeing Blue as a friend. If she finds Red in Johto, that would be it for him. All he could do was try to fall out of love with Leaf so that it wouldn't hurt as much when she ended up with Red. Blue had no idea how almost-impossible that was, especially with how much he cared about Leaf._

_Leaf let out a huff, putting away the Pokégear in her bag. She couldn't bear to look at it any longer because of her recent conversation. She was hoping that her talk with Blue wouldn't turn into a fight. How wrong she was. She sighed, a little frustrated that the both of them seem to always disagree or fight with each other. And she was always the one to forgive first, all because she hated to have any fights between them. It's been that way for as long as she knew. However, with this recent fight, she couldn't blame or be angry with him. He was right (for once) about the way she handled things._

_There was also something about the way he said certain parts of their fight that intrigued her. It almost seemed like he really cared about her, but in a more-than-a-friend way. She was probably just imagining things, trying to come to a conclusion on her feelings sooner than she should. Still, the idea that she had even developed such feelings for him was almost insane to her, and it wasn't because of Red. Imagining the scenario of her confessing to him was a horrible nightmarish daydream._

"_Blue," she'd say happily, hugging him. "I love you!"_

"_Really," he'd ask, giving her a surprised look. She'd look up at him and nod, a smile on her face._

"_Great," he'd say with a grin. "I love me, too! How could you _not_ love me? I'm perfect in so many ways, it's almost illegal. They should change the definition of perfection to my name."_

"_How," said Leaf, covering her face with her hands. "How could I fall for someone like him?"_

"_Excuse me, but are you all right," asked a voice, causing Leaf to look up. A black-haired man was standing near the chair across from her, giving her a concerned look. He was wearing a black shirt with a silver motorcycle on it and dark blue pants that had tears on the knees. He was carrying a few shopping bags, some with groceries and some with appliances._

"_Yeah," replied Leaf, putting her hands down on the table. "Just having an emotional dilemma."_

"_Is that so? Would you mind if you told me? It's good to have someone listen, and I might be able to help you out."_

"_Okay, I don't mind."_

_He sat down in the chair, placing the bags in the empty chair next to him and on the floor near him. Leaf took a deep breath, wondering where she should start from._

"_Well, there are two guys I really like, who've also been my friends since we were kids," began Leaf, figuring she should give the man the backstory first. "We had a fight and stopped talking to each other for five years. But, the three of us got our first Pokémon, and we went on an adventure. During that, one guy was always with me, but the other was always a step ahead of us."_

"_The 'there's always someone better' thing, huh," asked the man with a small chuckle._

"_Yeah, both of them were a lot better than me. That's what I thought at one point, but I wanted to prove my worth to him. I wanted him to see me as his equal… As a friend again. And, I did. After that, we worked things out and became friends again. By then, I had, um, strong feelings for the guy that was with me through everything. I didn't realize it until I was too late. To this day, I still haven't told him how I feel about him, and I'm trying to find him so I can."_

"_What about the other guy you like?"_

"_He's… I don't know how to describe him. He's stayed by my side ever since we patched up our friendship. He became my best friend again, but…"_

"_You're not sure if he's more than that?"_

_Leaf nodded, and said, "I feel terrible that, when I still loved the first guy, I fell in love with him, too. And I don't know how I can do something so terrible."_

"_Take it from someone who did the exact same thing: Go for the second."_

"_What," yelled Leaf, absolutely shocked by his advice._

"_Think about it. If you really loved the first one, why would you fall in love with the second?"_

"_I don't know! The guy is infuriating and impossible sometimes! Not to mention conceited, overbearing, and a show-off!"_

"_But he obviously has good qualities that made you love him, right? Otherwise, you two probably wouldn't have been friends to begin with."_

"_I can't be with him! Not when I still love the first one."_

"_Just because you love someone doesn't mean you should be with them."_

_Leaf gave him a confused look, not quite understanding what he was saying._

"_When I was younger, I was an all-around rebel," he said, chuckling at the memory. "Graffiti, egg some houses, throw toilet paper in the trees, you name it. A couple of friends and I formed a motorbike gang, going wherever the wind took us. That's when I met my ex-wife, who lived in Celadon City. She was my complete opposite, all studies and followed the rules. But, no matter how different our worlds were, we fell in love. I gave up my bike gang to settle down with her in a small town here in Johto. She thought it was the perfect place to live since it was so calm._

"_We had a son together, and that's when things began to change. She became really controlling and didn't like whenever I had to watch our son. She believed that she was better at caring for him than I was, since I was 'uneducated' and didn't have a high-salary job. And it wasn't just me she was controlling. It extended to my son. What toys he had, his education, the kids he played with, what shows he watched… I even overheard her telling him to get good grades so he wouldn't be like me. But he is like me, in both appearance and attitude. That kid became really good friends with two girls. One has an alcoholic mom whose husband eloped with another woman, and the other has a mechanic mother and a tech father. To my ex-wife, they were the last people she'd want our son to be around, but he didn't back down._

"_I eventually met someone else on an errand to Cherrygrove City. She was different from my ex-wife. She was sweet, easygoing, and really artistic. She made me feel like myself, not the person someone else wants me to be. It was refreshing, and it felt so great to be free from the constant guilt and shame my ex made me feel for just being me. In the end, I divorced her so I could be with that amazing woman. I tried to get custody of my son, but she ended up with him, full-custody no less. I really wish I can see my son again, but I have to be patient. If he's anything like me, he'll come see me without her permission."_

_Leaf remained quiet, taking in the man's story. She began to wonder how long it has been since he last saw his son._

"_So," she began softly. "Did that mean you never really loved your ex-wife?"_

"_No, I did love her. I loved her more than anything. But, she wasn't the right one for me. I couldn't be with someone who made me feel terrible for whom I was, who always harshly criticized me. I mean, would _you_ have stayed with her?"_

"_No way," said Leaf quickly, shaking her head. "I don't think any amount of love can make up for a loss of freedom."_

"_My point, exactly. Well, one of my points, anyway. The thing is you should be with the one who makes you like who you are when you're with them, the one that will love you just the way you are. I'm not saying you have to completely blind yourself to another's faults. If he's a conceited, overbearing show-off that you say he is, then you should try to help him grow. But don't do it forcefully and all at once. You might even learn a thing or two from him. That's why they say it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all—you learn and grow more from love than never loving at all."_

"_That's really nice."_

"_Yeah, my girlfriend is kind of poetic and stuff so it's rubbed off on me. Anyway, if he really is the right person for you, you'll know when you're at your crappiest. If he still thinks there's sunshine coming out of your ass, he's a keeper."_

_The sound of a Pokégear ringing sounded out, and the man reached into his pocket to answer his. After exchanging a few phrases (with an "I love you, too."), he hung up and smiled at Leaf._

"_That was her," he said with a grin. "She needs me to pick up some paints for her on my way back. I hope everything turns out okay for you."_

_He gathered his bags and walked away, leaving Leaf to think things through. Of course, she couldn't properly think when in a department store with many other people talking at once. She got up as well, picking up her bag and heading for the elevator. She took it to the first floor and stepped out, heading outside to the streets of Goldenrod. However, the city was too noisy for her to walk around and think, so she headed out to Route 34, hoping to lay down in the grass for a bit. She found a spot and lied down, staring up at the few clouds in the sky. She wondered if Blue really was the right one for her. But, they fought so much, and he seems like he loves himself more than anyone else._

"_No, Leaf," she thought, taking a deep breath. "You're just still mad about earlier. That's why you're seeing him like that."_

_Blue wasn't like that. He was before, but now, he was different. His annoying arrogance has been toned down a lot, but he still boasted about himself once in a while. But, at the same time, he was caring, kind, and had no problem sharing what was his. Then there was that self-confidence of his. Leaf admired that the most about him, ever since they were kids. She always looked up to him, often wondering when she'll ever be as fearless as him and just take chances. She hardly ever took action, preferring to just think and hope for what she wanted. He was very reckless back then, Leaf always advising him to not do things that might hurt him or, if she was persuaded to join in, herself. Even after they did get hurt, she didn't regret it because it was a learning experience for her._

_Leaf had a feeling that she would have struggled greatly through her journey across Kanto if it weren't for Blue. She had developed her own self-confidence because of him, which she used to meet the many challenges she came across and eventually challenge him. She didn't need his help anymore to take chances. Hell, before her journey even started, she was about to wrangle a Pokémon herself when she thought only Blue would get one. One of many crazy ideas she's had. If Blue was still her friend then, he probably would have helped her do that. Red, on the other hand, looked like he was just going to watch. That was another thing that set Red and Blue apart. When she had one of her outrageous ideas, Blue would go along with it, laughing at it or making it even crazier. Red would only look at her like it was impossible._

_After that fight with Blue six years ago, Red was with her, staying by her even as she cried over her broken friendship with Blue. But, after a certain amount of time, Red was no longer with her, and she was left on her own. When Red disappeared, Blue actively tried to distract her, getting her to go outside and do something. If she didn't, he'd stay with her in her room until very late, even when all she did was lay in bed. He helped pull her out of her depression. He had seen her at her absolute worst and still stayed. Leaf suddenly sat up, tears pricking at her eyes. Was Blue really…?_

_She stood up, heading down to the Ilex Forest, which she had to get through to get to Azalea Town. For now, that question will have to wait. The task she had to focus on was to find Red and bring him back home._

* * *

><p><em>Red could feel a lot of movement at the base of the mountain. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he assumed that someone or something had disturbed the Tyranitar that lived around the area. They were vicious Pokémon, destroying whatever was in their path of rage. He only sighed, wondering who or what was foolish enough to infuriate them. Then he hoped that the new path the Tyranitar created didn't make Mt. Silver easier to get to. It'd create problems if someone found him.<em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I had fun with this chapter. Anyone recognize who the Slowpoke Tail salesman is? Darn Wooper... I spent days trying to catch one with a careful nature until I got so annoyed that I settled for a jolly nature. Fun fact: Cynder is actually capable of breeding with two of Lyra's current Pokemon, which are Voltage (Mareep) and Cascade (Wooper). For a Pokemon with a modest nature, Cynder is a player, ha. Anyway, yes, Tyranitar going on a rampage is my head-canon for how the path to Mt. Silver was created, along with the routes that connect Johto and Kanto. They ARE known for drastically changing landscapes...**_


	5. Rockets Fell Down the Well

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 1: The First Steps

Lyra waited as patiently as she could outside the Pokémon Center. Ethan had gone back to Professor Elm's lab because the Pokémon egg had hatched during his training of Magikarp. The professor wanted to see what had hatched, which was a Togepi. Cascade, her Wooper, hopped around her, entertaining herself while they waited. Lyra spent a lot of time training her so that she was as strong as her other Pokémon. She smiled at the cute Pokémon, feeling happy to have met and caught her.

"Cascade, you're so cute, it makes me want to give you a big hug," said Lyra, reaching out to do just that.

"Congratulations," said her Pokédex with its usual sarcastic voice. "You've evolved from an idiot to a dumbass."

"What," asked Lyra, taking her increasingly annoying Pokédex out of her bag. "What do you mean?"

"Do you even take the time to read the information about the Pokémon? That _is_ what I'm designed for, stupid."

"I, um, only skim through it."

"Well, that explains why you're unbearably stupid."

"Hey! You take that back, you—"

"_Anyway_, touching Wooper is unadvised because those Pokémon have a poisonous slime on their bodies. It's going to hurt if you touch it. But, hey, if you want to experiment, go ahead and try it out."

"Why would I want to do that after what you just told me?"

"Because you're a dumbass."

Lyra put her Pokédex back in her bag, crossing her arms over her chest in frustration. She took a few deep breaths, calming herself down since she recalled what her Pokédex told her about other Pokédexes. Really, she was actually lucky to have her Pokédex, unlike one of its designers who had a much worse one. She brought a finger to her chin in thought, looking up at the sky. She wondered if she'll ever meet her Pokédex's other designer and see that infamous Pokédex.

"Hey, Lyra," called out Ethan, pulling her out of her thoughts. "You ready for the cave?"

Chikorita loyally followed him, looking quite happy that it was a sunny morning.

"I have Cascade with me now, so I think I am," she replied, watching him approach. "What did Professor Elm say?"

"Eh, something about Togepi being rare and other stuff. Oh, and he gave me an Everstone to keep my Pokémon from evolving."

"Evolving? What's that?"

"Oh, here we go," said her Pokédex from her bag. "Your stupidity continues to amaze me."

"Seriously, Lyra? You don't know what evolution is," asked Ethan in disbelief.

"Really, the both of you are insufferably uncouth," said Ethan's Pokédex, causing him to take it out of his backpack. "Am I the only gentleman in this young lady's presence?"

"Pretty much, buddy," replied Lyra's Pokédex. "Aren't you special?"

"I say, are you mocking me?"

"I say that I am. What are you going to do about it, fancy pants?"

"Had we been human instead of machines, I would have struck you across the face with a glove!"

"Ooh, a glove. That sure is scary."

"Guys! Evolution! Remember," interrupted Lyra as Ethan was doing all he could to not laugh.

"Ah, please, forgive me, my dear girl," said Ethan's Pokédex. "That discourteous piece of machinery had distracted me. Allow me to explain the concept of evolution… Evolution is a unique trait of many Pokémon. Their bodies change to become stronger. It is analogous to how humans change from children to adults, but the change isn't as drastic and quick as Pokémon evolution. In other words, they mature by evolving."

"Okay, I think I get it now! Thanks!"

"It's always a pleasure to help a lady such as yourself."

"He pretty much covered the basic idea of it," said Ethan, putting away his Pokédex. "Man, if only we had a camcorder to record these Pokédexes talking to each other. It's hilarious shit."

"I wish my Pokédex wasn't a big jerk," said Lyra with a sigh. "I think they would have got along if it was nicer."

"Well, anyway, let's head on to Union Cave. The sooner we get to Azalea Town, the better."

Lyra nodded, following Ethan down the short road to the cave's entrance. Ethan stretched out his arm in front of Lyra, keeping her from walking in.

"Listen closely, Lyra," began Ethan, glancing at her. "I already told you that caves usually have Rock-types, so you should know what they're weak to. They're usually weak to Water, Grass, Fighting, Steel, and Ground-types, but that depends if they have a secondary typing. If they're dual-types, then they might have a few resistances or different weaknesses."

"So, I should stick to using water and ground moves against them," asked Lyra, looking over her shoulder at Cascade.

"Yeah, you should have no problem using your Wooper. Whatever you do, don't use Cynder, Voltage, or Zephyr against them. Rock-types have an advantage over them."

He put his arm down, and they both stepped inside to the seemingly dark cave. However, inside, it was strangely lit, making it easy for them to see. Lyra stuck close to Ethan, Cascade looking very eager to jump in the water inside the cave. They followed the path through the pools of water, running into a few Hikers and Firebreathers along the way. Lyra stuck to Ethan's advice, having Cascade use Water Gun or Mud Shot against their Rock-type Pokémon (usually Geodude or Onix). Lyra only hoped that all the battling wouldn't tire out Cascade too much. For the Firebreathers' Pokémon, which were either Fire or Poison-types, she stuck to Water Gun or switching to another Pokémon, finding out the hard way that Mud Shot didn't affect the Koffing the trainers had. As they walked through the cave, they found a few items that were probably dropped or lost on the ground. Surprisingly, they reached the end of the cave in a span of fifteen minutes.

"That was a lot shorter than I thought it would be," said Ethan once they were outside. "Damn, I was hoping for a bigger challenge."

"You actually wanted that cave to be like a maze or something," asked Lyra with astonishment.

"It would have been more fun and interesting if it was."

Lyra just stared at him as if he were insane. Ethan, however, looked down the road, seeing smoke rising close by.

"Looks like Azalea Town is right up ahead," he said with a grin. "C'mon, we're really close now."

They walked down the dirt road, getting closer to the town with every step. They walked through a grove of trees. At the end, they saw two men standing nearby. One was wearing a white shirt with brown pants, and the other was wearing a black uniform and hat, a large red "R" on the front of his shirt. The one in the dark uniform looked rather annoyed, sneering at the other man.

"Who are you," he asked him harshly. "You don't know us? We're Team Rocket!"

"That's impossible," said the other man, probably a civilian of Azalea. "Team Rocket disbanded a long time ago!"

"What? We broke up? As if! Well, we did once, but we've come back to pursue Giovanni's ambition. That's enough talk! Shut up and beat it!"

The man in the uniform roughly pushed the civilian, who took a couple steps back before running in the direction of town. Ethan and Lyra exchanged glances before walking up to the man in uniform, who was now standing in front of a path that lead to a well.

"Hey, what the hell is going on," asked Ethan, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Nothing is going on," replied the man, suddenly looking innocent. "It's unsafe to go in the well, so I'm standing guard to make sure people don't wander in. Am I a good Samaritan or what?"

"'Or what' is a good question. So, what are you really doing?"

The man stood quiet, looking away. Ethan asked him again, but he didn't say a single thing. Lyra grabbed Ethan by the arm, gently leading him away from the man.

"Ethan, we should just head over to town. I don't think he's going to tell us anything," she told him, her eyes glancing at the man. Ethan nodded, and they both walked away from the Rocket grunt. As they headed for the Pokémon Center, Lyra recalled what Team Rocket had done three years ago. It was pretty big news, even for Johto, on how the criminal organization had invaded and taken over the Silph Company building in… The name of the city had slipped her mind, but she distinctly remembered the Silph building. The memory of the grandfather and his grandson in Violet City's Pokémon Center came to mind, and it made Lyra wonder where that boy and girl who fought Team Rocket were now. If Team Rocket really had returned, wouldn't they disband them again? That's what heroes do, right?

Ethan and Lyra found the Pokémon Center, stepping inside so they could heal their Pokémon after their trip through Union Cave. With her Pokémon healed, Lyra switched out Cascade and released Cynder from his pokéball so that he would follow her around. Ethan did the same for his Chikorita, having Togepi follow him around.

"Aw, that Togepi is so cute," said Lyra, staring at Togepi with adoration. "I wish I had it."

"I have to train him a little more," said Ethan, watching Togepi happily hug his leg. "I managed to do that after he hatched and during my trip to Elm's lab and back."

"Hey, Ethan," began Lyra, remembering yesterday's events. "This is where that guy Kurt lives, right? We should go see him!"

"Sure, why not? Then we can go check out the gym and see what kind of Pokémon the gym leader uses."

They walked out of the Pokémon Center and asked an old man where Kurt lived. It only took that old man to tell them, being that Kurt was pretty much a celebrity there. Or, that's what Ethan and Lyra thought, anyway. It turned out that Kurt lived close to the Pokémon Center, which made it easy to find his house. Ethan knocked on the front door, waiting for someone to answer it. The door opened, revealing an old man wearing a blue kimono and white slippers. He had very thick eyebrows, and his long hair was gray from age. To Ethan and Lyra's surprise, he was rather short.

"Hm? Who are you," he asked, eyeing them suspiciously.

"We're Ethan and Lyra," introduced Ethan, pointing at himself. "Some guy told us that you collect apricorns and stuff. Anyway, since Lyra here is a collector herself, that guy thought we should see you."

"Ethan and Lyra, eh? You want me to make some pokéballs? Sorry, but that'll have to wait."

"Why's that," asked Lyra, looking at him with curiosity.

"Do you know Team Rocket?"

"Actually, we—"

"Ah, don't worry. I'll tell you anyhow," interrupted Kurt, oblivious to their knowledge. "Team Rocket's an evil gang that uses Pokémon for their dirty work. They're supposed to have disbanded three years ago. Anyway, I heard that they're at the well, cutting off the tails of Slowpoke and selling them! So I'm going to go give them a lesson in pain!"

Kurt suddenly stepped out, pushing between Ethan and Lyra and running off.

"Hang on, Slowpoke," he yelled as he ran. "Old Kurt is on his way!"

"For an old guy, he has a lot of energy," commented Ethan, watching Kurt run toward the well. "But I like his style! Come on, Lyra! I want to see him kick some ass!"

Ethan ran in the direction Kurt was heading, Lyra chasing after him. She didn't want to be dragged into this, but she wanted to see Team Rocket get their just desserts for their crimes. To her, it wasn't fair what they've been doing to the Slowpoke. And to think that she was about to buy a Slowpoke Tail from that salesman yesterday. If she had known, she wouldn't have even bothered.

They finally made it to the well, Ethan putting Togepi in his pokéball so that he could climb down the ladder. Lyra placed Cynder on her head, telling him to hold on tight when she had to climb down. At the bottom, they found Kurt sitting on the ground, his hand on his back. He looked over his shoulder at them, a little surprised to see them.

"Ah, it's you two," he said, moving his body to get a better look but wincing at the pain. "The guard up there took off when I shouted at him. But then I fell down the well."

"Damn, where's Missy the Growlithe when you need her," said Ethan, glancing around the well.

"How did you fall," asked Lyra, crouching down next to Kurt to see if he was all right.

"I was climbing down the ladder, but I lost my grip and fell hard on my back. I can't move right now."

"We need to get you some help! Wait here with Ethan while I—"

"No! I need you two to go handle this Rocket problem! If I were still fit, my Pokémon would already be punishing them. Ethan, Lyra, show me how gutsy you are in my place!"

"A-are you sure about this? Shouldn't we just have the police handle this?"

"Lyra," began Ethan, getting her attention. "Didn't you tell me you saw that tsundere over in Sprout Tower a few days ago? Obviously, the police aren't the best people to turn to right now. So, we're going to have to take matters into our own hands."

Ethan stared at Lyra, waiting for her response. She looked at the ground for a moment, considering all the risks that were involved with facing Team Rocket. What if they were too strong and they lost? She felt a tug on her hat, and she lifted Cynder off her head, holding him out in front of her with her hands. The small Pokémon gave her a small nod, encouraging her to challenge Team Rocket. She knew that the Slowpoke needed help right away, and only she and Ethan can save them from Team Rocket. She carefully set him on the ground, much to the dismay of Cynder since the floor was wet. She switched him for Cascade, knowing that she'd love the damp area.

"Okay, I'm going too," she said as bravely as she could.

"Now that's what I want to hear," said Ethan, a grin on his face. "All right! Let's kick some ass!"

They walked through a nearby passage, heading deeper into the well. There was a large pond of water nearby, and the path stretched on ahead. They continued walking until they ran into the first Rocket grunt. To their surprise, it was the same one that was guarding the well before.

"I was standing guard up top when some old guy yelled at me," he said, taking out a pokéball. "He startled me so much that I fell down here. I'm going to vent out my anger and take it out on you!"

"Lyra, you go on ahead," said Ethan, stepping in front of her. "I'll take this guy on. Right now, we have to get those Slowpoke as soon as we can."

Lyra nodded, walking close to the wall to avoid the Pokémon battle. She only glimpsed Togepi use Extrasensory on the grunt's Rattata before looking around for any other Rockets. She climbed some ledges and eventually found the Slowpoke nearby. A man in a Rocket uniform was checking their tails, which were now only short stumps. His hair was an odd light blue-green, making Lyra wonder why so many people in Johto have strange-colored hair.

"What are you doing here," demanded a voice, causing Lyra to turn. Another grunt stood before her, but this one was female.

"I'm here to save the Slowpoke with my friend," said Lyra, doing her best to keep her voice from shaking. "You all have to stop cutting off their tails!"

"Listen here, kid. We have orders to cut off their tails, and we're not going to disobey Executive Proton just 'cause you tell us to. If you want to stop us, you'll have to defeat us all! There's no chance of you doing that!"

"Maybe not, but I'm going to try! Go, Cascade!"

The grunt sent out a Zubat, and Lyra had Cascade use Water Gun. However, the Zubat used Astonish, attacking Cascade and making her flinch. It then followed up with Leech Life, biting Cascade, but she countered with Water Gun. It didn't hurt it much, and it used Supersonic, successfully confusing Cascade. She tried to use another Water Gun but ended up falling flat on her face. Lyra quickly switched Pokémon, sending out Voltage instead. Voltage was immediately attacked by Zubat's Leech Life, which infuriated her. The static in her wool paralyzed the Zubat, making the Mareep almost smirk at the advantage. She didn't hesitate to use Thundershock when Lyra ordered it, knocking out the Zubat with the attack.

Lyra saw Ethan walk by, probably going on to challenge any other grunts that were around. She quickly focused on her battle, switching out Voltage and sending out Cascade again. The grunt sent out an Ekans, which wrapped its body around Cascade. However, Cascade struck the Ekans with Mud Shot, greatly weakening it, but that didn't make it let go of its hold on her. She followed up with another Mud Shot, making the Ekans faint.

"Jeez, kid, Slowpoke tails grow back! It's not a big deal," said the grunt, returning her faint Ekans to its pokéball. "A brat like you wouldn't understand the importance of taking orders, especially from someone like Proton."

Lyra switched her Pokémon again, sending out Cynder this time to follow her. Close by, Ethan was battling another grunt, his Togepi taking out a Zubat with Extrasensory.

"The leader is just ahead, Lyra," said Ethan, pointing in the direction of the blue-green-haired man inspecting the Slowpoke. "I'm pretty sure he's the leader. Go take him out while I finish this battle."

"You don't have to tell me twice," said Lyra, power-walking to who she presumed to be Proton. She was angry of what they've been doing to the poor Slowpoke. She couldn't believe that people like Team Rocket even existed, or how they can return after disbanding three years ago. Either way, she knew they had to be stopped of their crimes. And she was going to do everything in her power to—

Her Pokégear began to ring, disrupting her thoughts. She reached into her pocket, taking it out and answering.

"Hello," she asked, unsure why she didn't see the caller ID before answering.

"Howdy, Lyra! It's me, Joey," said the boy on the other line. "How are you?"

"I'm kind of in the middle of something important."

"Hey, do you remember my super-cool Rattata? I'm sure my Rattata is different from regular Rattata. It's like my Rattata is in the top percentage of Rattata. Do you know what I'm saying?"

"Um, yeah. Listen, I _really_ have to go now."

"Okay, bye!"

Lyra shook her head, putting her Pokégear back in her pocket. She approached Proton, who had been watching her when she was talking on her Pokégear.

"What do we have here," he asked, a smirk on his face. "I'm often labeled as the scariest and cruelest guy in Team Rocket."

Hearing that made Lyra very nervous, but she made sure that it didn't show. She can't show fear in front of someone like him.

"I strongly urge you not to interfere with our business," continued Proton, suddenly glaring at her and throwing a pokéball to send out a Zubat. Cynder jumped in front of Lyra, growling at Proton's hostility. Lyra had Cynder use Ember, severely weakening the Zubat. It took this chance to use Supersonic, confusing Cynder. He tried to use Quick Attack, but he ended up hurting himself along with getting hit by Zubat's Leech Life. He snapped out of his confusion in time to finish off the Zubat with Quick Attack. Lyra quickly switched out Cynder and sent out Voltage to battle against Proton's next Pokémon, a Koffing.

"It doesn't matter where we go," he said, tilting his hat a bit. "Someone will always disagree with us."

"Because you guys are horrible people who do awful things to Pokémon," yelled Lyra, her anger showing through. "Voltage, use Thundershock!"

Voltage happily complied, sending out a shock of electricity at the Koffing. It weakened it, but it used Smokescreen to hinder Voltage. Voltage, annoyed by this, used another Thundershock, finally defeating the Koffing.

"I didn't expect you to be this good," said Proton in a low voice, calling back his Koffing.

"Why are you guys back again," demanded Lyra, Voltage kicking up dirt aggressively as if about to charge. "Didn't you disband three years ago?"

"Team Rocket was indeed broken up three years ago," replied Proton, unfazed by her anger. "But we continued our activities underground. A small obstacle like you won't be much of a problem for our mission. I advise you to be very afraid of what is to come!"

He walked away, leaving the Slowpoke behind and taking the Rocket grunts with him. Ethan joined up with Lyra again, an impressed look on his face.

"Damn, Lyra, I saw the whole thing," he said, smiling proudly. "You were actually scary for a moment there."

"I-I was," asked Lyra, quite surprised by this news. Voltage looked up at Lyra in surprise as well and then looked around as if she was missing something, probably wondering where her trainer's courage had run off to.

"Yeah, I thought you were going to beat that guy down with your fists or something."

"I wouldn't be able to do anything like that!"

The sound of footsteps could be heard near them, and they turned to see who was approaching. It was Kurt, who was shockingly well again. He observed the Slowpoke for a couple seconds before joining them.

"Way to go, you two," said Kurt, obviously amazed. "Team Rocket has taken off, and my back's better, too. Let's get out of here."

Ethan, Lyra, and Kurt walked out of the well, taking the Slowpoke with them. Back outside, Kurt invited them to his house, which they accepted.

"You two handled yourselves like real heroes," said Kurt once they were inside. The interior of his house looked very traditional, and there was what looked like a workshop in the far right corner. A little girl sat by a table, a Slowpoke lying next to her, which made Voltage and Togepi curious about the pink Pokémon. There were a few bookcases, and a large photograph framed on the wall.

"No, the real hero is Lyra," said Ethan, Lyra looking at him in shock. "She was the one who took out the boss!"

"M-me? I'm not a hero. I don't even have what it takes to even be one," she said, shaking her head lightly.

"Don't be so modest, Lyra. Seriously, don't. You did a great job battling Proton, so bask in the glory for a little bit."

"But, I'm not a hero. I was just doing the right thing, and I didn't like what Team Rocket was doing to the Slowpoke."

"Lyra," began Kurt, getting her attention. "You may not feel like a hero, but the people of Azalea and the Slowpoke will see you as one."

Lyra looked down, blushing a little by the comment.

"As I mentioned before," continued Kurt, sitting down by the table next to the little girl and gesturing the duo to sit as well. "Team Rocket was disbanded by a boy and girl, called Red and Leaf, three years ago."

"Those are their names," asked Lyra with surprise, sitting across from Kurt with Ethan. She definitely had to remember those names so she can meet them one day.

"I'm surprised, too," said Ethan, resting his arms on the table. "They have some weird ass names."

"That really isn't the point," said Kurt, getting a little annoyed by the off-topic conversation. "Now that Team Rocket has come back, I have a bad feeling about it."

"Why not get Red and Leaf to defeat them again," asked Lyra, knowing that if they did it before, they can do it again.

"Unfortunately, no one has heard from Red for three years already. I heard that Leaf is no longer a trainer and, if I recall correctly, lives in Pallet Town of Kanto. I've only met her once when she was searching for Red two years ago."

Ethan stared at the photograph on the wall while Kurt and Lyra talked, recognizing Professor Oak in it.

"You know Professor Oak," he asked Kurt casually.

"Yes, he and I have been friends for decades. He doesn't visit Johto much, but he pays me a visit when he can. Ah, maybe he can get a hold of Leaf and persuade her to come to Johto. He does live in the same town as Leaf. That is, if she still lives there."

"I'll call him right now," said Lyra, taking out her Pokégear and selecting his name on it. She waited for a couple seconds until he answered.

"Hello, this Professor Oak," he said on the other line.

"Professor! I need to talk to you!"

"Oh, hello, Lyra! How's your Pokédex coming along?"

"Never mind that! Listen, do you know someone by the name of Leaf?"

"Yes, she's my apprentice. Why? Do you need something from her?"

"We need her help! Ethan, Kurt, and I have seen some people from Team Rocket, and we think Leaf can help us out."

"I see… I'm sorry, but Leaf isn't around in Kanto at the moment."

"What?"

"She's gone off to the Sevii Islands to do some researching, and she keeps her Pokégear off to prevent any distractions or disruptions. However, I'll let her know about the situation when she returns."

"Please, let me know her decision as soon as possible. Thank you!"

"You're very welcome, Lyra."

They hung up, leaving an awkward silence in the room.

"In any case, it would be an honor to make pokéballs for trainers like you," said Kurt to Lyra and Ethan. He got up and walked to his working space, picking up two pokéballs that were sitting on the desk.

"This is all I have now, but take it," he said, giving them both one pokéball. They put away the pokéball in their bags, to which Kurt caught a look of Lyra's Apricorn Box.

"You have apricorns for me," he asked Lyra. "I can turn them into pokéballs."

"You can," asked Lyra, looking a little excited. "Okay, um… I'll give you six green apricorns! I have a lot of those!"

She took out her Apricorn Box and opened it, taking out the six green apricorns to give to Kurt. He placed them in a brown bag that was tied to the back of his kimono.

"It'll take a day to make you a pokéball," he explained, tying up the bag. "Come back for it later."

"Oh! I'll give you grandpa's number," said the little girl, holding a Pokégear in her hand. "So you can call to check on the pokéballs."

Lyra, Ethan, and Kurt exchanged numbers, and the duo said their goodbyes to Kurt, since he wanted to be alone to work on the apricorns. Outside, a couple of Slowpoke lazily sat, staring blankly into space.

"Well, I'm glad that Rocket stuff is over," said Ethan, holding his arms up behind his head. "We should go see what the gym here specializes in."

"Ethan," began Lyra, following him as he walked to the gym. "What if Leaf can't help us out? What's going to happen then?"

"If worse comes to worst, then I think we'll have to handle things on our own. I don't know Leaf as a person, but there's a chance that she'll refuse to help. I mean, Kurt said she isn't a trainer anymore, so she might want to keep it that way since facing Team Rocket involves battling."

They stopped when they reached the gym, Ethan quickly reading over the sign next to it.

"'Bugsy: The Walking Bug Pokémon Encyclopedia,'" he read out loud. "Oh, shit."

As soon as he finished saying that, there was a thud next to him, as if something fell down. He looked over his shoulder and saw Lyra on the ground, who had fainted. Voltage let out a sigh, almost ashamed of her trainer's meekness, while Togepi began to poke the girl's cheeks.

* * *

><p><em>Leaf was losing hope as she walked through Blackthorn City. She had pretty much explored all of Johto already, asking every person she met if they had seen a black-haired boy in a red cap also known as the Champion of Kanto. It had been four days since her talk with Blue in Goldenrod City, and they haven't spoken to each other since then. Leaf had been too busy to call, looking through Azalea Town, Violet City, Cherrygrove City, Mahogany Town, and now Blackthorn City. She had already covered the other cities before getting to Goldenrod, and Professor Oak had called her, using Blue's Pokégear, that Professor Elm of New Bark Town had confirmed that Red wasn't there either.<em>

_Of course, this wasn't counting all the other areas she had to look through, like Union Cave, Mt. Mortar, the Lake of Rage, and the Ice Path among others. She couldn't thoroughly search the Ruins of Alph, since there were puzzles there that didn't allow access to certain parts of the ruins. Despite how much she wanted to look through them, she couldn't, knowing that finding Red was more important. Her Pokégear began to ring, surprising her a little. She stopped walking and took the device out of her bag, checking the caller ID. The name Blue flashed vividly on the screen._

"_Hi, Blue," she said when she answered, ignoring the knots that were tying up in her stomach._

"_Where are you now," he asked in a strangely calm tone._

"_Blackthorn City. It's really nice. Did you know that this is where Lance trained? And his cousin is the gym leader here, too."_

"_Now I know," he said, now sounding somewhat annoyed. Leaf knew it was because he was being told something he didn't know._

"_Oh, and I bought a souvenir for Blaine! It's a hat that kind of looks like mine. He told me that he really liked my hat so I thought I should get him one that looked similar. I had no idea that I was a trendsetter."_

"_As if. I'm a bigger trendsetter over here! You know what all the gym leaders in Kanto are doing now? They're all remodeling their gyms! Well, everyone except Surge, Blaine, and Koga."_

"_Why are they remodeling their gyms, though?"_

"_Take a good guess."_

_Leaf could hear the smirk behind that, and it didn't take her long to put the pieces together to her question._

"_You're finished with the gym," she asked excitedly._

"_Sure am. When you come back, I'll take you to see it. It's kind of empty right now, so I'm looking for trainers to join. But, I'm sure that people will come flocking over to join. Who wouldn't want to work in my gym?"_

_Leaf giggled at that, sighing a little when she was done._

"_I miss you," she said softly, absently staring at the ground._

"_What?"_

_It took Leaf a couple of seconds to realize what she just said, blushing with embarrassment. It wasn't what was said that bothered her, but the _way_ she said it. She said it rather dreamily, like she was imagining being back home with him, which she wasn't._

"_Did you say that you—"_

"_Oh, I just remembered," interrupted Leaf, quickly coming up with an excuse. "I have to do some shopping at the PokéMart so I can check out the routes ahead. Sorry, Blue, but I have to go now! Bye!"_

_She shut her Pokégear, sighing in relief as she put it away in her bag. However, it began ringing again, which made her jump in surprise. She dreaded to look at the screen and see who was calling, but she pushed her anxiety away to look. To her shock, Blue was calling again._

"_Stop calling me," she shouted at it without answering, passersby staring at her as if she was insane. "I swear if you ask about that, I'm hanging up!"_

"_Hello," she answered with sudden calmness, hoping she sounded innocent._

"_I miss you, too."_

_Leaf's eyes widened at that, her cheeks growing red._

"_Wh-what," she asked, her voice a little shaky._

"_Are you deaf now? I said that I missed you, too."_

"_You miss me," she repeated, a small smile on her face. A group of five kids walked by when she said that, all boys that looked to be about nine years old._

"_If they miss you that much, why don't they marry you," said one of the boys as the others broke out into laughter. Leaf just watched them walk away, her mouth open in shock at what the boy said. Though, Leaf had to admit that it was a very lame joke for them to be laughing at._

"_What did he say," asked Blue, who didn't hear the boy's question clearly._

"_Some kid said… Um…"_

_Leaf had no idea how to tell Blue, but she should just say it to get it over with._

"_Well," asked Blue, growing impatient._

"_He said that if you miss me so much, then you should marry me. Something like that."_

_There was an awkward silence between them, and Leaf suddenly got worried that the idea repulsed him. She suddenly laughed, trying to break the silence._

"_It's funny, isn't it," she asked, chuckling. "I mean, can you imagine us getting married? It'd be so weird since we're friends and all."_

"_Yeah, it is," he agreed, laughing himself. "We fight enough as it is. It'd be battles to the death if that ever happened."_

"_You're right about that. That'll never happen to us."_

_By now, Leaf was kneeling on the ground in despair, people staring at her as they walked by. "Part of my soul just died," she thought, feeling the jabs of their comments._

"_Anyway, I'll leave you to… Look for Red," said Blue, changing the subject. "Good luck. Bye."_

"_Bye."_

_Leaf hung up, putting the Pokégear back in her bag. She got up and walked to the nearest building, coincidentally the PokéMart. However, she went to the side of it, standing in front of the western wall._

"_Stupid, stupid, stupid," she said, hitting her head against the wall. She was sure she looked like she was having a lapse of sanity to everyone around her. She stopped hitting her forehead, leaning against the cool wall. She hated how happy she felt whenever she saw or heard Blue, hated how her stomach felt like it was doing somersaults when he talked to her, and hated how easily embarrassed she had become because of him. But most of all, she hated that she loved him. She damned her heart for feeling so sure about him when her mind was telling her that Red was the one._

_Leaf sighed again, heading inside the PokéMart. She stocked up on some repels and pokéballs since she was taking advantage of being in Johto by catching every Pokémon she saw. After buying her supplies and putting them away in her bag, she caught sight of a stand of newspapers. She had been so focused on finding Red that she hadn't been paying attention to what was happening around her. She picked one up, which was tied up with a yellow string, and paid for it. She went to the Pokémon Center to read it comfortably, sitting down on a chair and opening it up._

_She skimmed through most of it, but certain things caught her attention. Red had already been removed as Champion, Lance taking his place. Agatha and Lorelei retired, living out in the Sevii Islands, and left two empty places in the Elite Four. The Pokémon League was considering having Koga of Fuchsia City to join the ranks of the Elite Four, which would leave the gym without a leader. Some cities were reshaping their roads and buildings, like Vermilion City and Saffron City. Leaf was amazed by all the changes that have been going on in Kanto. However, she soon realized it wasn't just Kanto. One of the articles concerned both Johto and Kanto. Recently, poachers were trying to capture Larvitar near Mt. Silver, which angered the Tyranitar mothers. They went on a rampage until their young were returned, which the poachers had no choice since one of the Tyranitar had cornered them and was about to make them regret what they did. They were arrested soon after._

_The result of the rampage had created new roads that finally connected Johto and Kanto together. However, one would have to travel through the sea by New Bark Town to get to Kanto. The rampage also made the road to Mt. Silver much safer since the ground was now leveled somewhat. Leaf closed the newspaper and ran out the Pokémon Center, looking to the east for the great mountain. In the distance, its summit hidden by clouds, was Mt. Silver. It was one of the few places she had yet to check. If she couldn't find him there, she'd return home. Though, she was confident that he will be there._

* * *

><p><em>Red stared at the clouds around him, blocking the rays of the sun. He was sitting a rock, looking out at the light gray clouds that seemed to forever be on the peak of Mt. Silver. His training was not yet complete. There was still much more to do, but he can feel his new team getting stronger with every passing day. His Pikachu and Venusaur worked very hard to help their newer team members, who were Lapras, Charmander, Squirtle, and Snorlax, get strong. By now, Charmander and Squirtle had fully evolved into a Charizard and Blastoise respectively. However, every time he looked at those two, it reminded him of Pallet Town. To be more specific, they reminded him of Leaf and Blue, since Charmander and Squirtle were their respective starters when the three of them set out on their adventure many months ago.<em>

_He wished that he had shown Leaf the baby Pokémon when they hatched from their eggs, the same ones Leaf gave him after breeding her Charizard and Lapras along with Blue's Blastoise. Instead, when they had hatched, he went to Mt. Silver, which took days for him to get to. He didn't tell anyone where he was going because he wanted to get away from the world. Isolated on the most dangerous mountain of the region, he could solely focus on strengthening himself and his Pokémon. He didn't have to worry about anything except for surviving… And his mother. He felt guilty for leaving her by herself in that house. He could have asked Leaf to breed a Pokémon for her before he left so she wouldn't have to be alone._

"_Red! Red, where are you," yelled an all-too-familiar voice. That voice made chills run down his spine, something the freezing temperature of the mountain no longer had an effect on him. He immediately jumped off the ledge, landing on a lower ledge, and pressed his back against the rocky mountain._

"_Red? Please, be here," called out the voice. He knew that voice anywhere, a voice that he'll probably never forget. It was Leaf. How she got to the summit of Mt. Silver, he didn't know. But it was obvious that her reason for being here was to find him._

_Leaf looked around at the snow, the blizzard making it very difficult for her to see. Her skirt, sweater, and leggings were torn in various areas, some of the tears accompanied with blood from the climb to the top. She had bought a blue scarf to keep warm, but it wasn't doing much for her in this freezing air. She took a couple of steps, seeing a raised area on the summit. When she stepped onto it, despair filled her when her eyes confirmed that no one was there. She bit her tongue to keep herself from crying, knowing that it may lead to frostbite on her cheeks if she did._

"_I love you, Red," she shouted, finally saying the one thing she had always wanted to say. She had looked through all of Kanto and Johto just to say that to Red. But, since she couldn't find him in the end, she may as well say it anyway. It was better than never speaking it. What she didn't know was that he heard her, something she highly doubted when she said it. However, as Red let out a silent sigh, he no longer loved her. He was over the feelings he had for her. He still cared about her, but didn't love her the way he used to. She had to understand that he was training to be the greatest trainer in history. When he comes back to Pallet Town, he'll be a legend. Hopefully, by then, she still loved him, and he'll be able to fall back in love with her again. She can wait until then, can't she? For now, he let her walk away._

* * *

><p><em>Blue patiently waited at the docks of Vermilion City. Well, he was pacing back and forth to distract himself while he waited. Leaf had called him about an hour or so ago that she was boarding the S.S. Aqua to return to Kanto. Before he could ask if she had found Red, she already hung up and didn't answer her Pokégear every time he called her back. He could only assume two things: One, she did find him and was having alone time with him, though his imagination blocked out everything else beyond cuddling. Knowing her, she might also want to surprise him. As for the second…<em>

_The sound of ship's horn snapped Blue out of his thoughts, and he looked up to see the S.S. Aqua steadily approaching the docks. He'll finally be able to see Leaf again after so long. As he waited for the ship to dock and let the passengers disembark, he began to think of his talk with Leaf two days ago. It was disappointing to hear her laugh at the idea of marrying him. Well, it was too soon to even be thinking of that, but Blue took it as her dismissing the thought of even being with him. However, how nervous she sounded when telling him what the boy said and that silence before she laughed somehow bothered him. If she really didn't see him as anything more than a friend, she would have outright told him and laughed right after. But, Leaf can be unpredictable sometimes, so he was torn between two different things on what was going on in her mind._

_People began to pour out of the ship, Blue stepping to the side to look for Leaf. He was a little worried that he wouldn't spot her since she didn't grow any taller ever since Red disappeared. Through the crowd, he saw a familiar white hat. It ran straight toward him, and he soon saw that it was Leaf. She hugged him, hiding her face in his chest. He could already tell that she didn't find Red. He hugged her back, not allowing words to ruin the silence. They stood like that for a moment longer before Leaf pulled away, looking down in shame._

"_Sorry," she said in a low voice. "I don't know what came over me."_

"_It's all right," he told her calmly._

"_I'm… I'm really glad to see you again," she added, looking up at him with a smile. "And I noticed you bought new clothes."_

_She pointed at his black jacket and light brown pants, which she quickly realized were designer brands. Figures he'd get the best clothes to make him look good._

"_Are you going to let me get into these pants," she asked, tilting her head to the side in curiosity._

_Blue just smirked, remembering the last time she had caught him off-guard with that question before._

"_Yeah, you can get into these pants anytime you want. Same goes for the old ones," he said confidently. He then realized that what he said sounded perverted. Though, knowing Leaf, she probably wouldn't pick up on it._

"_Get a room," said a sailor, who had overheard their conversation while working on a nearby boat. He got on the dock and walked by them, both Leaf and Blue staring in surprise. "Please, don't tell me she understood that," thought Blue, his eyes slowly glancing at Leaf. She was looking down, her hand over her mouth. However, the part of her left cheek that she didn't cover was a noticeable light red. "Shit, she does know," he thought, shocked that she had actually understood._

"_Um, Blue," she began, uncovering her mouth. Blue dreaded the next words she'd say, hoping she wouldn't ask about the pants thing or "getting a room."_

"_I'm pretty tired. Can we go home," she asked, looking at him. "But, I want to see your gym tomorrow. Is that okay?"_

"_Yeah, both are okay. You want to race to town?"_

"_Sure! Breeze would like a good race against Pidgeot!"_

_They sent out their Pidgeot, climbed onto the backs of the large birds, and flew off in the direction of Pallet Town. Leaf looked back at the S.S. Aqua, remembering her search through Johto. To her, it felt like all the time she spent on finding Red was for nothing. Maybe, he didn't want to be found, or he was in an entirely different region. Either way, the more she thought about it, she more she believed that it wasn't for nothing. After all, she finally made sense of her feelings. As she looked ahead to see Blue's Pidgeot descend to their hometown, she knew that there were newer challenges she had to face: Figuring out if Blue felt the same way, and how to even tell him how she felt. After what had happened with Red, she didn't want to repeat the same mistake._

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: "Missy the Growlithe" is the Pokemon world's equivalent of Lassie, the famous collie. What's that Missy? Kurt fell down the well? Then let's go save him! Hopefully the joke is suddenly funny now. I have to admit that the scene with the Pokedexes was my favorite. I think those two are the funniest characters so far, much better than the last story's Pokedexes. Reason being that Leaf's Pokedex is the type that wants to overthrow the human race and have machines rule the earth, kind of like "The Matrix." It's only funny when you know it can't do any of that since it's a Pokedex. Anyway, thank you all for reading and reviewing!**_


	6. Bugs, Evolution, and Farfetch'd

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 1: The First Steps

"How can someone train bugs," asked Lyra, a look of repulsion on her face. "They're so gross and creepy!"

She and Ethan were at the Pokémon Center of Azalea Town since Lyra fainted from the sign next to the gym. They were sitting side-by-side on the chairs to the side.

"Uh, Lyra," began Ethan, looking a little confused. "Ledyba come out in the morning and Spinarak show up at night. How did you deal with them when you were training?"

"I ran away from them! I don't want to be anywhere near bug Pokémon," she replied, shivering.

"You're going to have to go through that gym, you know. It shouldn't be too much of a problem since you have Cynder and Zephyr, who have type advantages over Bug-types. As long as you use fire and flying moves, you should be okay."

"Really? Okay, that makes me feel a little better."

"I, on the other hand, have to do more training. You should go challenge Bugsy while I do that."

"Um, all right. Wish me luck!"

"That's something you should be telling me. None of my Pokémon have a type advantage against Bugsy."

"Oh… Sorry."

Lyra stood up, and Cynder, who was out of his ball, looked up at her with curiosity. She took a deep breath and began to walk out of the Pokémon Center, her Pokémon loyally following her. She made her way back to the gym, getting more nervous with every step. She entered the gym, seeing a room with green tiles and a Ledyba shape in the middle of it. There was a small set of stairs, leading up to a large doorway with two bushes on each side of it. She ran through the doorway, entering the next room. This one had trees and bushes around with three Spinarak carts over a deep ditch.

Lyra shivered, hoping that she really didn't have to step on those carts that looked too much like real Spinarak for her own comfort. However, as she glanced around the room for alternative routes, her hopes were slowly being crushed. There was no helping it. She _had_ to ride the Spinarak carts.

"Oh, gross! Oh, gross," she thought, stepping onto the middle cart with Cynder. "This is so disgusting!"

The cart began to move, following the path ahead of it. As it moved to the left and then to the right, Lyra closed her eyes because it was unnerving to see the legs of the cart move. When it finally came to a stop, Lyra hopped off, sighing in relief to be on solid ground again.

"You've come all this way, crossing the web like a bug Pokémon," said a voice, causing Lyra to open her eyes and see a Bug Catcher. "Allow me to teach you the charms of bug Pokémon!"

"Ew! No way," said Lyra, Cynder jumping in front of her as the Bug Catcher sent out a Caterpie.

Lyra ordered Cynder to use Ember, remembering what Ethan had told her a few minutes ago. The small burst of flame was enough to defeat the worm Pokémon, forcing the Bug Catcher to send out a Weedle. Cynder used another Ember, quickly defeating the Weedle as well. Lyra looked up in surprise, amazed that the bug Pokémon were easily defeated by Cynder. To her, Cynder was a great bodyguard now.

"You've shown how tough you are," commented the Bug Catcher, returning his faint Weedle to its pokéball. Lyra quickly stepped back on the Spinarak cart, heading back to the other side. Cynder hopped on as well, and the cart sprung to life, moving to where it originally was. Once back on the other end of the gym, Lyra stared intently at the paths that carts followed, noticing that they turned at the first branch they came across. After a little deducing, she found out that the cart on the left was the one that would get her closer to Bugsy, wherever he was. She and Cynder rode that cart, taking her to the other side of the ditch. There, another Bug Catcher waited patiently for her.

"Bug Pokémon evolve young," he told her, smugness in his voice. "So they get stronger that much faster."

Though, Lyra was already figuring out that no matter how strong a Pokémon is, it still had a weakness. This Bug Catcher can talk tough, but his Pokémon won't match up well against Cynder. Unsurprisingly, he sent out a Weedle, which was quickly taken out by Cynder's Ember. The next Pokémon he sent out was a Kakuna, the evolved form of Weedle. Lyra thought it was just as creepy as the Weedle before it. Since it was still a Bug-type, it fell to Cynder's Ember as well. The Bug Catcher's final Pokémon was a Beedrill, which almost made Lyra scream in fright. It _is_ a rather large bug Pokémon, one that Lyra found too uncomfortable.

"Gross! Cynder, use Ember on it," said Lyra, shutting her eyes to not look at Beedrill. "Keep using Ember until you beat it!"

Cynder nodded, sending out a burst of flame to Beedrill. It endured the attack, countering with Fury Attack. It hit Cynder three times before pulling away. However, Cynder, remembering Lyra's orders, used another Ember, finishing off the Beedrill. Lyra sighed in relief now that the Beedrill was defeated. That was when she noticed something strange going on with Cynder. His body glowed a bright white, his body changing into something different. When the light finally faded, a larger Pokémon with a dark blue and cream coat stood before Lyra, flames on its head and lower back.

"C-Cynder," said Lyra with uncertainty, wondering where her Cyndaquil had gone. The strange Pokémon walked toward her, stopping a foot away from her. It stared at the ground as if it was ashamed, much like how a kid is caught doing something wrong by his mother.

"Congratulations," said Lyra's Pokédex from her bag. "Your Cynder evolved into Quilava. _This_ is evolution, dumbass."

"Cynder? Is that really you," asked Lyra, crouching down so that she was eye level with the Pokémon. "You look so different!"

"Didn't you hear what I just said," asked her Pokédex, obviously annoyed. "This is evolution! Pokémon change their appearances when they evolve! That Pokémon in front of you is Cynder! Jeez, why do I have to be stuck with an idiot like you?"

Lyra ignored her Pokédex, focusing her attention on the Quilava in front of her.

"Cynder," she said softly, causing the Pokémon to look up at her. "Your eyes are open now. Not only that, but you look more bishonen than you did before. Your harem is going to have a hard time resisting you now!"

Cynder looked at her with surprise in his red eyes but then looked back at the ground, a look of embarrassment on his face. Lyra returned Cynder to his pokéball and sent out Zephyr instead. The Hoothoot looked around calmly, as if not amused by the surroundings.

"If you want to meet the Gym Leader," said the Bug Catcher from before. "You have to move the web using the switch."

Lyra gave a small nod, but she didn't want to face Bugsy right away. With Cynder evolved, she thought that she should train Zephyr while in the gym. When the time came to challenge Bugsy, she can have Zephyr lead the battle until things got too tough, which is when she'll send out Cynder. She stepped onto the next Spinarak cart, trying not to look at the legs move as the cart followed its path. It stopped in front of a set of twins, which surprised Lyra since they were both girls.

"Hey, are you challenging the leader? No way," said one twin, shaking her head.

"If you insist, we'll be your opponents," said the other twin with politeness.

They both sent out their Pokémon, a Ledyba and Spinarak respectively. Lyra sent out Zephyr and Cynder to battle against them, trusting in their abilities to win this battle. Cynder attacked with Ember, hitting the Spinarak with full force. It fainted as Zephyr used Peck on the Ledyba, severely weakening it. The Ledyba retaliated with a Comet Punch, hitting Cynder a few times with it. However, he endured the attacks, which didn't hurt him much, and followed up with Quick Attack, knocking out the Ledyba.

"You're really strong," said the first twin, an impressed look on her face.

"Our bug Pokémon lost! Oh, what a shame," said the second twin, looking quite disappointed.

After accepting the prize money from them, Lyra rode the Spinarak cart back to the beginning. She moved the blue lever that was there, which made one of the rope paths to become inaccessible. She rode the cart again, this time heading in a different direction to where another Bug Catcher was. His eyes lit up when she stepped off the cart like he was seeing a celebrity.

"You're the one who saved all the Slowpoke, right," he asked, to which Lyra nodded to. "Wow, you're mighty! But, my grown-up Pokémon are pretty tough, too!"

"Thank goodness he's the last one," thought Lyra, Zephyr getting ready to battle against the Bug Catcher's Paras. She thought that Paras looked really creepy with its big eyes and grotesque legs. She quickly pushed away that fear and ordered Zephyr to use Peck, severely weakening the Paras. The Paras used Stun Spore right after, successfully paralyzing Zephyr. It followed up with Leech Life, draining some of Zephyr's health. However, Zephyr overcame her paralysis and attacked with another Peck, finishing off the Paras. After the Bug Catcher paid her the prize money, Lyra rode the cart back, this time heading back to the Pokémon Center. She needed to have her Pokémon in top shape before challenging Bugsy.

When she made her quick trip to the Pokémon Center and back, Lyra felt nervous and excited about challenging Bugsy. She only hoped that his Pokémon weren't too creepy-looking. She took the cart to where the twins were, moving the blue lever that was there. This made the blue section of the path inaccessible again. The cart then took her to a different part of the gym, where a red lever was. After moving the lever and making the red section of the path inactive, the cart took her to a certain section of the gym, where Bugsy waited. He stood under a large tree, holding a large bug net in his hand. His hair was lavender, and he wore a green uniform, a yellow tie around his collar, and shorts. A brown bag with a magnifying glass was secure to his belt, making him look quite professional. Seeing him made Lyra question if the other gym leaders had strange-colored hair. She walked up to him, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest.

"I'm Bugsy," he said when she approached, introducing himself. "I never lose when it comes to Bug-type Pokémon. My research is going to make me the authority on Bug-type Pokémon! Let me demonstrate what I've learned from my studies."

"Agh, here we go," thought Lyra, dreading the upcoming battle. She almost screamed when she saw the large mantis Pokémon that Bugsy sent out. Zephyr just stared at it calmly, obviously not very intimidated by it. It began to use Focus Energy, but Zephyr attacked with Peck. However, it didn't hurt it much, surprising Lyra. She didn't expect that Bugsy would use his strongest Pokémon first. She called back Zephyr and sent out Cynder, figuring she should do the same.

Cynder was hit by Scyther's Quick Attack, but he endured it. It then followed up with Leer, but Cynder used Ember, weakening it. However, the Scyther ate a berry that it was holding, healing it a bit. The Scyther used Quick Attack again, weakening Cynder greatly. He countered with another Ember, which hurt Scyther more than it normally would and knocked it out. With that Pokémon down, Lyra switched out Cynder since he was too weak to battle any further. She sent out Zephyr again while Bugsy sent out a green cocoon Pokémon, which was a Metapod. Zephyr attacked it with Peck, hurting it a bit, as it used Tackle. This became a series of pecks and tackles, each Pokémon attacking and enduring. Before Zephyr could finish it off, Bugsy used a Super Potion, healing Metapod to its full health.

Lyra almost yelled in frustration at that but calmed herself. Instead, she had Zephyr use Hypnosis, successfully putting Metapod to sleep. With this advantage, Zephyr attacked it a few times, one Peck causing more damage than usual which knocked out the Metapod.

"Even though it's my last Pokémon, bug Pokémon are tough," said Bugsy, sending out Kakuna. Lyra took a deep breath, knowing that the end of the battle was drawing close. She had Zephyr attack with Peck, hurting Kakuna a bit, but it countered with Poison Sting, which ended up poisoning Zephyr. Lyra quickly used an Antidote, healing Zephyr of the poison. However, Kakuna used another Poison Sting, which poisoned Zephyr again.

"Are you kidding me," yelled Lyra, wanting to tear her hair out. "That's it!"

Bugsy looked a little frightened by her anger, watching her cautiously as she took out two pokéballs from her bag. She switched out Zephyr, sending out Cynder instead. He took a Poison Sting, which, luckily, didn't poison him.

"Cynder, use Ember and finish this battle," said Lyra, very frustrated already. Sure enough, that Ember defeated the Kakuna, which marked Lyra's victory of the battle.

"Finally," she thought, her anger instantaneously vanishing. "Now I have another reason to dislike Bug-type Pokémon."

"Whoa, amazing," said Bugsy, returning Kakuna to its pokéball. "You're an expert on Pokémon! My research isn't complete yet. Okay, you win. Take this badge."

Bugsy reached into the brown bag secure to his belt, taking out a red badge that looked kind of like a Ledyba. Lyra quickly took out her little purple bag, accepting the badge from Bugsy and placing it in the bag with the Zephyr Badge.

"Do you know the benefits of the Hive Badge," asked Bugsy as she shook her head in response. "If you have it, stronger Pokémon you get in trades will obey you. Pokémon that know Cut will be able to use it outside of battle, too. Here, I also want you to have this."

He reached into his bag again, taking out a cd case this time and handing it to Lyra. She put it away in her bag, with the other TMs she's found and received.

"That TM contains U-Turn," he explained. "It lets your Pokémon attack, then switch with the next Pokémon in your party. Isn't that great?"

"Um, yeah," replied Lyra, wanting to leave already. "Thanks for everything. Just wondering, but why do you like Bug-types?"

"Bug-type Pokémon are deep," said Bugsy, looking proud. "There are many mysteries to explore, so you should study your top choices thoroughly."

Lyra nodded, even though she didn't quite understand. She moved the blue lever that was nearby and rode the cart back so she could leave the gym. She couldn't stand to be there for another second. That and because Zephyr needed to be healed of her poisoning again. Lyra ran back to the Pokémon Center, healing up her Pokémon who battled with all their strength. Since she had used up her only Antidote in the battle with Bugsy, she stopped by the PokéMart to stock up on supplies. She wasn't sure where Ethan was, probably off training somewhere, so she decided to do a little more training herself. Voltage and Cascade needed some extra training because Zephyr and Cynder did a lot in the gym.

Lyra walked over to Route 33 to train her two Pokémon. She decided to train Voltage first, who looked very eager to battle against any wild Pokémon. She spent about thirty minutes training, only stopping when the Mareep seemed very restless. Lyra soon understood why when a familiar white glow surrounded Voltage's body, her body changing shape. Lyra looked away for a moment but looked back when she heard a bleat. Voltage now had white wool on her head and shoulders, her upright posture making her much taller than before. Her hide was a light pink color, the orb at the end of her tail now blue.

"Congratulations," said Lyra's Pokédex with its usual sarcastic tone. "Your Voltage evolved into Flaaffy. In other words, Voltage's body changed into this new form. Understand, stupid?"

"I get it now," retorted Lyra, annoyed by her Pokédex. "And I love this new Voltage. She's so pretty in pink!"

Voltage huffed, seeing that as an insult.

"Hey, dumbass," began the Pokédex. "I think your unhealthy obsession with cute Pokémon is making your Pokémon a little insecure. That would explain why they took so long to evolve than normal. You really are a terrible trainer."

"What? Is that really true," asked Lyra to Voltage, who looked away at the ground. The Pokémon refused to meet her gaze, which worried Lyra.

"It really is true," she said with disappointment. "Okay, time for a group meeting."

She sent out the rest of her team, three of them looking curiously at her while Voltage glanced from the corner of her eyes.

"There's something that you all need to know," started Lyra with a gentle tone. "You're all cute to me. No matter what, you'll always be cute in my eyes. So, don't be afraid of evolving because you think I'll stop liking you. Love should look beyond appearances to the very soul of everybody."

"That is too saccharine," said Lyra's Pokédex. "If I were human, I'd be vomiting by now."

Lyra rolled her eyes but smiled when she saw her Pokémon give her looks of happiness. Though Voltage looked away, she had a feeling that the Flaaffy was happy, too. She returned her Pokémon to their pokéballs, leaving Voltage the only one out. She figured it was time to head back to Azalea Town and check with Ethan, if he was there. Lyra and Voltage walked back to town, looking around for Ethan. However, Lyra soon spotted him and his Togepi, along with a familiar person. Standing a few feet away from Ethan was Silver. Lyra ran toward them, wondering what was going on.

"Tell me something," asked Silver to Ethan, Lyra finally joining them. "Is it true that Team Rocket has returned?"

"You missed the action, but yeah, they're back," replied Ethan, looking a little bored. "Lyra and I took them out, which is why the Slowpoke are safe now."

"What? You beat them? Hah! Quit lying."

"Why would I lie about something like that? Besides, it's not like anyone else was reliable enough to defeat Team Rocket."

"Are you serious? Then let's see how good you are!"

Lyra took a quick step back as Silver sent out a black, spherical Pokémon with purple gas around it. It used Curse, hurting itself, and then took an Extrasensory from Togepi. It was defeated, but Togepi flinched, getting hurt from Curse. Ethan switched out Togepi and sent out a yellow-green Pokémon with a large leaf on its head. Lyra realized that Chikorita had also evolved since this Pokémon looked similar to its previous evolution. Silver sent out his own starter Pokémon, a Croconaw. Lyra had to admit that it was rather coincidental that their starter Pokémon had all evolved.

Croconaw began the battle with Scary Face, lowering Bayleef's speed. Ethan ordered Bayleef to use Poisonpowder, successfully poisoning Croconaw. Croconaw used another Scary Face, but Bayleef attacked with Razor Leaf, severely hurting the opposing Pokémon. Added with the effects of being poisoned, Croconaw was barely hanging on. It managed to use Bite on Bayleef, which hurt him quite a bit, but was defeated by another Razor Leaf. Both boys switched out their Pokémon, sending out a Flaaffy and Zubat.

"You've got a lot of nerve coming here," said Silver, looking at both Ethan and Lyra.

Ethan shrugged, having Flaaffy use Thundershock on Zubat while evading the Zubat's Supersonic. The attack made the Zubat faint, which caused Silver to glare at Ethan.

"Useless Pokémon," he muttered, returning his defeated Zubat to its pokéball. "You only won because my Pokémon are weak."

"Guess this means you should—I don't know—train more," said Ethan, smirking.

"I hate the weak," continued Silver, still glaring at Ethan. "Pokémon, trainers… It doesn't matter who or what. I hate to see them hanging around. That goes for Team Rocket, too. They think they are big and tough as long as they are in a group. But get them alone, and they're weak. I hate them all."

"Jeez, man, just say that you hate everybody! Arceus, all you're doing is complaining about everyone, and it's really annoying."

Silver took a couple of steps closer, obviously angered by Ethan's comment. Ethan, however, didn't seem intimidated by Silver.

"You stay out of my way," said Silver, sharply. "You won't be an exception if you get in my way."

He walked away, going through the gate that leads to the Ilex Forest. Ethan returned Flaaffy to his pokéball, sending Togepi back out again.

"He's kind of scary," said Lyra once Silver was gone. "How can someone hate people and Pokémon?"

"But, don't you hate bug Pokémon," asked Ethan, raising an eyebrow at her.

"I don't hate them! I just really don't like them! There's a huge difference!"

"Okay, okay. You don't have to bite my head off. Anyway, that guy has issues so don't let him get to you."

"I don't know… Didn't you hear what he said earlier? He said he hated weak Pokémon, and he thinks his Pokémon are weak. It's sad that he hates his own Pokémon."

"That's on him," said Ethan, heading over to the gate to Ilex Forest. Lyra followed him, going inside.

"Hey, Ethan," began Lyra as they entered Ilex Forest. "If a trainer is bad, will the Pokémon turn out bad, too?"

"It's possible. With the necessary conditioning, Pokémon can become aggressive and mistrustful of others."

Lyra looked down at the grass of the forest, worried that Silver's Pokémon may turn out that way if he continues to be hateful of them. She can't bring herself to hate him for his behavior, but she definitely didn't like his treatment toward his Pokémon. It was unfair for the Pokémon because a victory depends on the trainer as well. Pokémon can't do all the work. The trainer must take care of them and help them get strong. They don't become strong overnight without doing anything and even the strongest Pokémon had weaknesses.

Lyra sighed, looking up at the trees of the forest. Daylight was barely making its way through the thick treetops, rays of sun piercing through the dimness of the forest. The air felt fresh, the scent of oak and pine trees relaxing Lyra.

"Oh, man. My boss is going to be angry," said a voice, making Lyra suddenly more aware. Ethan also heard the voice, walking toward the source with Lyra following. A black-haired boy in glasses stood by a tree, looking down the path with worry. He was wearing a green shirt and blue pants, which had dirt and grass stains on it. Next to his feet were darkened pieces of wood.

"Hey, are you all right," asked Ethan, approaching the boy.

"Not really," replied the boy, rubbing the back of his head. "My boss's Farfetch'd that cut down trees for charcoal ran off."

"Are they lost," asked Lyra, hoping that the Pokémon were safe.

"No, but they won't listen to me. Um, if it's not too much to ask, can you guys help me? I'd really appreciate it if you can catch the Farfetch'd for me."

"Sure! It can't be that hard."

"It might be a little difficult because they have sensitive ears. Making any noise will make them face toward you. If one of you can sneak up on them while they're distracted by the other, it'll be easy for you to catch them. Do you think you can do that?"

"Yeah, no problem," said Ethan, walking down the path. Lyra quickly ran after him, unaware that a Farfetch'd was nearby. Her footsteps made a lot of noise, causing the duck Pokémon to be alert of anyone approaching.

"Lyra, make a lot of noise," said Ethan, catching a glimpse of the Farfetch'd that was hiding behind a rock. "I'll go around and sneak up on the Farfetch'd."

Lyra began stomping on the ground, watching Ethan and Togepi disappear down a path. Voltage just watched with a questionable look, curious about what was going on. She tried to listen for anything, but all she could hear was the snapping of twigs and dead leaves under her feet. Suddenly, a loud squawk was heard, and Lyra stopped what she was doing. There was more squawking, finally making Lyra curious enough to see what was going on. She walked around the rock, seeing Ethan holding a struggling Farfetch'd. It was smacking Ethan in the face with its leek, trying to break free from his grip. He sprinted off, holding the Pokémon carefully as he did so. Togepi struggled to keep up, not suited for running.

"C'mon, Lyra! We have to get this guy back," yelled Ethan, running back to the boy from earlier. Lyra ran after him again, hoping that the Farfetch'd wouldn't break free. Luckily, the duck Pokémon was returned safely to the boy, who seemed very grateful for their help.

"Thank you for finding a Farfetch'd," he said, taking the Pokémon from Ethan. "But, there's still one more missing."

"Lyra, this time, you're catching it," said Ethan, rubbing his cheeks with his sweater sleeves. "I'll be the one making the noise."

"Um, okay," said Lyra as they walked back to find the last Farfetch'd. They walked deeper into the forest, searching cautiously for the Farfetch'd. Ethan spotted it first, stepping on some twigs to distract it while Lyra tried to sneak up on it. When she felt she was close enough, she dove at it, arms wrapping around the Pokémon. It squawked loudly, hitting Lyra in the nose with its leek. Lyra suddenly let go, bringing her hands to her nose as her eyes began to tear up from the pain.

"Aw, Lyra, you let it go," said Ethan, walking up to her.

"It hit me in the nose! That really hurt," she said, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. Voltage, who was standing beside Lyra, looked like she was smirking at what had happened.

"When you catch it, don't let go no matter what. If you let up even a little bit, it'll smack you with its leek. Let's go try this again."

Lyra got up, dusting off the dirt and leaves from her clothes. The Farfetch'd was close by, watching them intently. Ethan went around, clapping to get the Pokémon to look away. Lyra stealthily stepped toward the Farfetch'd until she was right behind it. She grabbed it, holding on tight so it wouldn't hit her again with its leek. It squawked, moving around a lot in her arms to get away from Lyra.

"What are you standing around for," asked Ethan, appearing from around the corner. "Take it back to that guy before it escapes again!"

"Right," said Lyra, running as fast as she could back to the boy. It was a little difficult for her to do that since she was afraid that the Farfetch'd would jump out of her arms. Voltage followed close behind, watching closely to see if the Farfetch'd will hit Lyra again with its leek. When she approached the boy again, she carefully handed the Pokémon to him, who set it beside the other Farfetch'd. Lyra thought it was a little strange that the Farfetch'd from earlier hadn't run off again.

"Wow! You got both of them," said the boy, obviously impressed. "Thank you so much! My boss's Pokémon won't obey me because I don't have any badges. You really saved me!"

"Ah! My Far and Fetch'd," yelled a voice, causing everyone to turn to the source. A man with long black hair walked toward them, wearing a white shirt with black pants.

"Damn, those are _really_ uncreative names," said Lyra's Pokédex. She hit her bag to make it shut up before it said anything else offensive.

"Hey, boss," said the boy, looking a little sheepish. "Um, your Pokémon ran away from me, but these two helped me get them back."

"You found them for us," asked the man, standing a few feet away from Lyra and Ethan. "Without them, we wouldn't be able to cut trees for charcoal. Thanks to you both! No, that's not really a good way to thank you. Here, you can have these."

He reached into his back pockets, taking out two cd cases and handing them to Ethan and Lyra. Lyra tried not to think too much about why he was even carrying them around to begin with.

"That HM is Cut," explained the man with a grin. "Teach it to a Pokémon to clear small trees. Of course, you need to have the gym badge from Azalea to use it. If you ever want to apprentice as a charcoal maker, I'm sure you'll be first-rate in ten years!"

The man suddenly smacked the boy over the head, his eyes shifting from him to Ethan and Lyra.

"Oh, I didn't get to thank you," said the boy, rubbing his head in pain. "You can have this charcoal I made."

He picked up the blackened wood next to his feet, giving them to the duo.

"Fire-type moves will become more powerful when a Pokémon holds that," explained the boy as they put away the charcoal. The duo said their goodbyes, heading back to Azalea Town. Ethan wanted to bring along another Pokémon to cut down the small tree that was blocking off the path in Ilex Forest, preventing them from getting any further. When they arrived back in town, they went to the Pokémon Center, where Ethan withdrew a Sentret from the PC. Lyra took the time to give Cynder the charcoal she received moments earlier. After that, Lyra glanced at Ethan, who was putting one of the HMs on the Sentret's head.

"Ethan? What are you doing," she asked him, walking over.

"Teaching Sentret Cut," he replied casually. "It's just so my other Pokémon know good battle moves. You should probably do the same."

"But, what's wrong with teaching one of our current Pokémon an HM move?"

"For one, I heard it's really difficult for a Pokémon to forget that kind of move. So, once they learn it, they probably won't forget it. That's why it's better to have another Pokémon, one you don't use that much, learn it. Look, in the long run, you're going to be thanking me for this."

Lyra thought for a moment about what Ethan had told her. She didn't want to admit it, but Ethan was right. She went over to the PC, withdrawing her own Sentret and teaching it Cut with the HM. She couldn't quite understand how a Pokémon could learn from a cd just from having the cd on its head. With that completed, they headed back to Ilex Forest, prepared to explore the deeper parts of it. Ethan's Sentret cut down the little, thorny tree, allowing them to follow this second path. They passed by a little wooden shrine, following the path through the forest. As they walked, Lyra enjoyed the calmness of the forest for it brought a soothing feeling to her. For a moment, it felt she didn't have a care in the world. Ethan suddenly stopped, Lyra crashing into his back since she was following him.

"Why'd you stop," asked Lyra, stepping to the side. Ethan didn't answer, so Lyra followed his gaze to a familiar looking person. It was that kimono lady from Violet City. However, upon closer inspection, Lyra realized that it wasn't the same woman because the faces were different. She was staring up at the treetops, an almost hopeless look on her face.

"Kimono girl, kimono girl, lost and all alone," she sang softly, ignorant of Lyra and Ethan's presence. "Poor girl lost in the dark Ilex Forest."

"Hey, aren't you the same lady from Violet City," asked Ethan, getting her attention. She looked both surprised and confused, walking over to them with a twirl.

"Violet City? You must be imagining," she said melodically. "Please, will you show me how to get out of this forest?"

"Uh, yeah, sure. I don't mind."

"You will? But, aren't you lost in the forest as well? How do you know how to get out of here?"

Lyra heard Voltage give an annoyed huff, walking ahead of them. She stopped for a moment, sniffing the air, before pointing down a path.

"Are you going to show me how to get out," asked the woman, looking very impressed. "You are such a smart Pokémon!"

Voltage raised her head proudly, appreciating the compliment.

"See you," said the woman, walking down the path that Voltage pointed out. The Flaaffy walked back to Lyra's side, her head held high in an arrogant manner.

"Ethan, that lady was different from the one we met in Violet City," said Lyra, unaware of Voltage's attitude.

"Maybe they're sisters," mused Ethan, a grin on his face. "I wonder if she has any other sisters."

"C'mon, you pervert."

She grabbed him by the sleeve of his sweater, leading him out of the Ilex Forest. Ethan, however, was busy imagining his own harem to notice what was going on.

* * *

><p><em>Leaf's Pidgeot, Breeze, landed safely in front of her house, lowering himself a little to let his owner get off his back. Leaf petted Breeze in thanks, returning him to his pokéball. She had just returned from Cinnabar Island to give Blaine the souvenir she got him. He was really happy that she bought him a hat and gave her a quiz in return. However, Leaf couldn't figure it out. She had to do more research before taking that quiz again.<em>

_She was wearing a black zip-up sweater with a white shirt underneath, blue pants, and her blue scarf around her neck, leaving her signature white hat at home. Today, she had woken up to an irritated throat, which would occasionally make her cough. She thought that the scarf will help to keep it from getting any worse. Whether it was working or not was an entirely different matter. From the corner of her eye, she could see Professor Oak's Lab, reminding her that Blue was probably waiting for her at his gym. She began to walk to Route 1, knowing that Blue wasn't always a patient person._

"_Good morning, Leaf," greeted a gentle, familiar voice. Leaf stopped in her tracks, dreading to even look. However, she turned her head to look, her mouth feeling a little dry. It was Hazel, Red's mother._

"_Good morning," said Leaf, a wave of nausea hitting her._

"_I haven't seen you in so long. Where have you been?"_

"_I was in Johto, doing a little researching."_

"_Ah, that's right. I almost forgot that you were Professor Oak's assistant. I was a little worried when you suddenly disappeared…"_

_She trailed off, a distant look in her brown eyes. Leaf's heart was beating so loudly that she wouldn't be surprised if Hazel could hear it._

"_Um, I have to get going," said Leaf, feeling more ill by the second. "I told Blue that I'd visit his gym today."_

"_Oh, I'm sorry, Leaf. I didn't know that I was holding you up. Please, say hello to Blue for me."_

_Leaf gave a quick nod, walking away while staring at the ground. She did her best to not walk too fast, or it would like she was trying to get away from Hazel. However, she really did want to get away from her. Seeing her, that black hair and those brown eyes, reminded Leaf too much of Red. It also reminded Leaf of her failure of being unable to find Red, and seeing Hazel was adding salt to the wound. She was alone now, worrying about someone else's child because her own child had disappeared to who-knows-where. Leaf couldn't imagine how she was feeling, wondering the whereabouts of Red and whether he was safe or not. How can someone deal with that constant worry every day? If she had found the smallest information on Red, it could have brought some comfort to Hazel. She couldn't, though, which made Leaf feel guilty to have inflicted such a burden because of her failure._

_Leaf bumped into someone, so lost in her thoughts and staring at the ground which made it difficult for her to focus on what was around her. She recognized the shoes and brown pants, surprised that he was here. She looked up to see Blue, wondering why he was in Pallet now._

"_You must have been seriously day-dreaming if you didn't see me," he told her, his tone playful as ever._

_Leaf pulled away, covering her mouth with her hand. She gagged, quickly looking around for someplace to hide to. There was nothing, so she walked to the side, bending over as her stomach began to expel its contents, which wasn't much to begin with. She heard Blue run over to her, grabbing her hair and scarf to get them out of the way. When she was finished, she was gasping, tears in the corners of her eyes._

"_Jeez, Leaf, I'm not that ugly to make you want to barf whenever you see me," said Blue, still holding onto her hair and scarf._

"_It's not that," said Leaf, standing upright and wiping the tears from her eyes. "I… I was talking with Hazel earlier."_

"_So, she's become so hideous that you'd barf from the sight of her?"_

_Leaf looked over at him, not knowing whether to laugh, get mad, or punch him for that._

"_No," said Leaf with frustration. "It's just… I… Let's just go to the gym already."_

_She began to walk away but only took one step when she was held back from the tug of her hair and almost being choked by her scarf. She looked over her shoulder at Blue, who was firmly holding her hair and scarf. The pulls were only from her trying to walk away._

"_Let go of my hair," said Leaf, grabbing at her hair and pulling it out of Blue's hand. She did the same for her scarf, walking toward Route 1. She felt someone grab at her hand, which made her heart skip a beat because she knew that someone was Blue._

"_What happened," he asked seriously. Leaf looked away, remaining silent. She felt a sudden pull, crashing into Blue. He grabbed her other hand, securely, yet gently, holding both. From the look on his face, Leaf could tell that he wasn't going to let her go anywhere until he heard what he wanted to hear._

"_Leaf, tell me," he said, his brown eyes staring intently into her own. Leaf averted her gaze, unable to meet his eyes._

"_I'm a failure," she said quietly, Blue almost not catching that._

"_What?"_

"_I'm a failure," repeated Leaf, louder this time. "I couldn't find Red and bring him home, not even find the smallest information on him. Hazel is so worried about him, it's horrible. It's my fault that she's feeling this way!"_

"_Why do you think that everything is your fault," asked Blue strongly, causing Leaf to finally meet his gaze. "You're always blaming yourself! Like when we talked about that fight six years ago. You knew that it was also my fault, but you still blamed yourself. You did the same when Red disappeared, and you're doing it again now. Stop it already! You're _not_ directly responsible for these things. Get it through your dense head!"_

_Leaf could only stare in shock. The disapproving, hard look in Blue's eyes softened, sighing a bit himself._

"_How do you always know the right thing to say to cheer me up," asked Leaf, tilting her head slightly._

"_Honestly, I don't even know," he replied, a small smile on his lips._

"_You're right, though… Again. I guess I blame myself because I know that there are things I could have done differently, things I would have been able to do something about but didn't."_

"_There's only so much that you can do."_

_Leaf let out an inaudible sigh. There _is_ only so much she can do, but sometimes it was disappointing, especially when it felt she could have done more._

"_I won't regret my actions anymore," said Leaf confidently, more to herself than to Blue. "I can't cheapen the feelings I felt when I carried out those actions. I spent a lot of time and hard work in trying to find Red. Even though I couldn't find him, I tried, and that attempt was from doing the right thing and because I cared about him."_

"_Good luck with that," commented Blue, putting his right hand on her head and messing up her hair. Leaf laughed, grabbing his hand to stop him from messing her hair up too much. She didn't pull his hand away, just rested her own hand on his, which was still on her head. She looked into his brown eyes, smiling a little, and he smiled back. However, it didn't take Leaf long to realize that this was a rather intimate moment between them. She pulled away, walking to Route 1._

"_C'mon," she said nonchalantly. "I want to go see your gym now."_

_Blue gave a small nod, walking toward her so that he was beside her. Although, they both looked away from each other, blushing from their closeness earlier. They made their way to Viridian City, Leaf occasionally coughing from the irritation of her throat. To Leaf's surprise, Viridian was also repaving their roads, adding streetlights as well. She had only been gone for about two weeks, and so much was already changing. Blue led the way to the gym, even though Leaf knew where it was. When they arrived, Leaf noticed that the exterior was remodeled, too. She couldn't begin to imagine what Blue had done to the interior._

_Blue took out some keys and opened the sliding glass doors with them. He walked in, Leaf following close behind, and flipped some switches to the side, turning on the lights. With one of the keys, he opened a small gray box on the wall, flipping the switches there. The black tiles lit up, colored arrows appearing on them. Leaf's mouth was open in awe, amazed at how different the gym was compared to the original design of Giovanni. She stepped on the unlit tiles, looking up at the lights in the ceiling. She then looked at the floor, avoiding the tiles so she could see what was ahead. She walked to the right, looking at the red arrow tile. Blue walked toward her, standing next to her. _

"_So? What do you think," he asked, enjoying the look of astonishment on her face._

"_Wow," she said, looking to the floor. "Were you going for a Dance Dance Revolution theme?"_

_At that, Blue pushed her, making her step on the red arrow tile. She was sent sliding until she came to a stop on a light gray mat._

"_Why'd you do that for," she yelled from her spot surrounded by arrowed tiles._

"_So you can test it out," he replied casually._

"_How am I going to get back?"_

"_You're smart. You figure it out."_

_Leaf looked around, tip-toeing to get a better view of the tiles further ahead. However, from where she was, the angle made it difficult for her to see some tiles. She began to jump so she can get a glimpse of the farther tiles._

"_What's the matter," asked Blue, smugness evident in his voice. "Too short to see?"_

_Leaf stopped jumping, turning her head to glare at him._

"_Shut up! Not everyone can be as tall as you!"_

"_And not everyone can be as sexy as me, either."_

_Leaf quickly looked away, a blush of embarrassment on her face. "Why do I like that guy again," she thought to herself, bringing a hand to her forehead in shame._

"_Judging from your silence, I think you agree," she heard Blue say. She didn't have to look to know that there was a smirk on his face._

"_Shut up, Blue! I'm trying to concentrate," she yelled back, quickly looking over the tiles around her. There was no way she was going to look at him right now, not when she was blushing too much. She stepped on the dark blue tile that was at the top-left corner of where she was at. She slid across the floor to the other side of the room, sliding down to the entrance. She really wasn't expecting Blue to be waiting at the end. She ended up sliding into his arms, something she didn't want to do thanks to her earlier embarrassment. She was surprised that he was actually hugging her after that._

"_Were you waiting here just to do that," she asked, giving him a look of annoyance._

"_Actually, I wanted to give you this," he replied, reaching into his jacket pocket and taking out a folded piece of paper. He handed her the paper, which she quickly took and unfolded. As she skimmed through it, her eyes widened in horror._

"_Homework," she asked, stunned that she even forgot about it._

"_Yeah, I asked your teachers about the homework when you were gone, and I put it together on that paper," he explained, letting go of her and stepping on the floor near the gym statues. "Am I nice or what?"_

"_Lame is what you are," she said, shoving him a little._

"_At least I'm not short."_

"_I'm not that short!"_

* * *

><p><em>Blue walked over to Leaf's house being that her mother called him, using Leaf's Pokégear no less. Leaf was sick with a flu, and her mother needed to run some errands but didn't want to leave her by herself. And that's why she called Blue. He knew that Leaf was going to be annoyed by the fact that she had to be babysat. Though Blue saw it more as taking care of her, he was sure that she would interpret it that way. He had originally planned to go the Pokémon League to check on the applicants who wanted to work at his gym. That would have to wait until tomorrow.<em>

_He knocked on the front door of Leaf's house, waiting for someone to answer it. It finally opened, Leaf's mother sighing in relief._

"_Ah, you're here," she said, inviting him in. "Leaf is in her room doing her homework. She had a fever this morning, but it's gone down now thanks to the medicine I gave her. She lost her voice a bit because of her sore throat, so don't make her talk too loudly. I should be back in a few hours."_

_She picked up her purse, quickly looking through it to make sure everything was in it. She grabbed some envelopes that were on the table and headed for the door. She stopped in front of him, giving him a disapproving look._

"_Don't try anything funny with my daughter," she said in a low voice._

"_I suppose drawing on each other's faces is out of the question because I'm sure she would have found that funny," he remarked, a small smirk on his face._

"_You know perfectly well what I mean. The reason why she's sick in the first place is because she climbed Mt. Silver. She has cuts and bruises on her legs from that, too. She's reckless enough as it is, something she developed because of you, and I don't want you to promote more of that behavior."_

"_Yes, because sitting down and doing absolutely nothing is much better."_

_She looked away and walked out the door, obviously irritated by his smart-ass comments. With her gone, Blue frowned a bit, wondering if that woman's overprotectiveness was the reason why Leaf was unconfident and hesitant as a kid. Or Leaf was just naturally like that. He didn't know which it was. He headed upstairs, slowly opening the door to Leaf's room. He peered in, Leaf looking up from her bed at him. She was sitting up, books and papers on her bed along with a Raichu and Togetic. Her hair was a mess, wearing a black, baggy hoodie sweater and a blue scarf around her neck. The lower half of her body was hidden under the bed sheets. She smiled at him, waving him over. Her Raichu, Static, was sleeping, only opening one eye to see Blue before going back to his slumber. The Togetic flew at Blue, nuzzling against his cheek in happiness._

"_Nice to see you again, too," he told Togetic, petting him. Togetic flew back to Leaf's bed, watching Blue curiously as he grabbed the chair next to Leaf's computer desk. He picked it up and set it by Leaf's bed, sitting on it. He leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest and resting his left leg on his right knee._

"_Why'd your mom ask me to come over when she doesn't even like me," asked Blue, watching for Leaf's reaction. She looked confused from what he said._

"_My mom doesn't like you," she asked in a loud whisper._

"_It's pretty obvious, Leaf."_

"_Hm… Well, she called you because I told her to. But don't let her bother you. I'm glad that you're here now."_

_She smiled at him again and looked back at her books and papers, writing down questions and answers. Blue watched her, really having nothing else to do. There was something oddly attractive about her messy hair, watching as she moved a piece away from her face and setting it behind her ear._

"_You should get some bangs," he told her, catching her by surprise._

"_What," she asked, looking up from her papers._

"_Bangs," he said, motioning to his forehead. "I think you'll look good with bangs."_

_She stared for a moment before looking back at her papers and books._

"_That is, I'm not saying you don't look good without them," quickly explained Blue, Leaf's eyes glancing up at him. "You look good either way. I don't want you to think that you look bad now. I was only saying that bangs might make you look better and—"_

_He stopped when he heard Leaf chuckle. Her left hand covered her throat, an uncomfortable look on her face._

"_Don't make me laugh," she whispered with a smile. "It kind of hurts to laugh, weirdo."_

"_Weirdo?"_

"_You're talking about hair—my hair of all things. That's really weird coming from you."_

"_Like _you_ don't say weird shit sometimes?"_

"_I know that some of the things I say sound weird to you, but it's nice to hear you say weird things for a change."_

"_Hmph."_

_Leaf looked back at one of her books, but an audible growling sound kept her from reading. The growl, however, came from her stomach._

"_Damn, that was loud," said Blue, chuckling. "Did you even eat any breakfast?"_

"_No, I slept through the whole morning. I woke up like an hour ago."_

_Blue glanced at her digital clock, which read 2:10._

"_I'll get you something to eat then," said Blue, getting up._

"_Pocky, please," said Leaf, sure that there was a box of it in her pantry somewhere._

"_No, you're getting real food."_

"_You make it sound like pocky is imaginary food."_

"_You know what I mean. Anyway, I'll be back with some food for you."_

_He walked out of her room, leaving Leaf to work on her homework. She could hear the sound of the pantry and refrigerator opening and closing, making her wonder what Blue will find for her to eat. However, the sound of the front door opening and shutting made her get out of bed, looking out her window to see what was going on. She saw Blue walking away from her house. Was he going to buy her fast-food for her? She sighed, hoping that he wasn't taking this chance to leave her on her own. She went back to bed, figuring she should just wait and see what happens. After about thirty minutes, she heard the front door open and close again, which brought a smile to her face._

_She waited for Blue to bring her the food he bought, but he didn't show up. Maybe he was preparing it and putting it on a plate? But, if it was fast-food, then there really wasn't a need to do that. She wasn't sure what he was up to, and it kind of worried her. Sighing, she got out of bed again, putting on the white slippers that were near her bed. Static woke up, doing a quick stretch before jumping off the bed and following her. Togetic flew after them, hoping to see Blue again. Leaf quietly went downstairs and was greeted to a sight she thought she would never see. There was Blue, standing in front of the kitchen counter and cutting up carrots and celery on a cutting board with a kitchen knife. On the stove, there was a large pot full of broth, not yet boiling. Leaf couldn't stop her jaw from dropping in shock. Togetic fluttered near the stove, looking at the pot and then at Blue. He finally looked over his shoulder, seeing Leaf standing there in her sweater, scarf, pink pajama bottoms, and slippers._

"_You didn't have to come downstairs," said Blue, calmly. "I was going to bring the food to… What's with that look?"_

"_You're… Cooking," asked Leaf, her mind not processing the scene before her. It was like making a Nidoqueen and Nidoking breed, or, in other words, combining two incompatible things. In her mind, "Blue plus cooking equaled burnt or inedible food." Or maybe it was "Blue did not equal cooking." Either way, her mind was having a small meltdown from it._

"_What does it look like I'm doing," asked Blue, raising an eyebrow at her._

"_Cooking?"_

"_Good job, genius. Now sit down and stay out of the kitchen. I don't want you coughing on everything."_

_He looked back at the vegetables he was cutting, Leaf taking a seat by the table. Static and Togetic also sat down, leaving the seat across from Leaf empty. She watched Blue slice the carrots and then the celery, throwing away the inedible remains. He walked over to the pantry, taking out a bag of rice and a box of noodles. When the broth was finally at a boil, he grabbed a colander from the sink, which already had peeled, diced potatoes, and poured them into the pot. He sighed and walked over to the table, sitting across from Leaf._

"_Don't say anything about this," he told her, resting his arms on the table._

"_It's nothing to be ashamed of," whispered Leaf, a small smile on her lips. "I'm a decent cook myself. But… How did you learn to cook?"_

"_Daisy wasn't always there to cook my meals," he replied, his eyes looking at the pot on stove. "And sometimes Gramps didn't get home until late, so I had to make my own meals. When I was just a kid, I only made the fast and easy stuff, like macaroni and cheese. As I got older, I started watching Daisy cook so I could make other things."_

"_The next time I go to your house, can you cook something for me?"_

"_Yeah, I'll boil some water for you."_

_Leaf shook her head, trying not to laugh. "That's not what I meant. Hey, how about we have a contest some day? I want to see which of us cooks better."_

"_Definitely me."_

"_We don't know that for sure. We'll have Daisy, Professor Oak, Hazel, and my mom be the judges of our food. What do you think?"_

"_I think you'll be going down when everyone likes my food more," he said, getting up from the table. Leaf stuck her tongue out at him, but he didn't see. He opened one of the drawers near the stove and took out a ladle, using it to stir the soup. He then picked up the cutting board and slid the sliced vegetables into the pot with the kitchen knife. After putting the cutting board and knife in the sink, he poured in a cup of rice and small bundle of dry noodles into the soup. He added some salt and pepper, tasting some of the broth to check how it was coming along. Leaf watched as he opened up a cupboard that held all the cooking spices. He moved some around before taking out the small container that held garlic salt. He added that to the soup as well, tasting it again. He lowered the heat on the stove, covering the pot, and sat back down._

"_It smells really good," said Leaf, closing her eyes and breathing in the aroma. Static and Togetic seemed to enjoy the aroma as well._

"_Just wait until you actually taste it," said Blue, smirking. She opened her eyes, turning her head to look at the pot on the stove._

"_It's making me really hungry. How much longer until it's done?"_

"_Fifteen to twenty minutes, I think. I don't really keep track of time when I cook. I just check the food once in a while to see how it's going."_

"_Oh," was all she said, still staring at the pot longingly._

"_Hey," began Blue, reaching across the table and putting his right hand on her left cheek. He gently turned her face so that she was looking at him instead. "You shouldn't stare at it. You know that saying? 'A watched pot never boils.'"_

"_Are you saying that because you actually believe it or you just want me to look at you?"_

_He quickly pulled his hand away, resting his arm again on the table. "I was saying that so the soup can cook faster and you can eat soon."_

_From the corner of Leaf's eye, she could see Static looking at them questioningly. Her attention went back to Blue, noticing that his face was getting a little red._

"_Does he… Feel the same way," she thought, but quickly pushed that thought to the side. She mentally shook her head, thinking that she was reading too much into it. Her mind was debating between just telling him right now or saving it for later. However, she thought she'd tell him later, when she was sure._

"_So, you climbed Mt. Silver," said Blue, though it was more of a statement._

"_My mom told you, didn't she," asked Leaf, receiving a small nod from Blue. "Yeah, I climbed that mountain. It took me a few hours to get to the top. I… I really thought that he was there."_

_She looked down, staring at her hands that rested on the table._

"_You tried," he told her, grabbing her hands with just his right hand. Leaf continued to stare at their hands, seeing that his was noticeably larger than her own. She wanted to see if her fingers will fit in the spaces between his fingers, like two jigsaw pieces. Despite how much she wanted to test out the idea, she held back, afraid that maybe she wasn't the right piece for him. What if… Red had been the right piece all along? She tried not to think about it too much, memories of Red were now painful to her._

_Blue got up, walking to the stove and checking the soup. He stirred it with the ladle, checking the vegetables, rice, and noodles. He increased the heat on the stove, covering up the pot again. After about five to ten minutes, he checked it again, this time the soup finally done. He grabbed a bowl from one of the cupboards, pouring some of the soup into it with ladle. He walked back to the table, setting the bowl in front of Leaf along with a spoon._

"_Try it," he said, watching her closely. Leaf picked up the spoon and filled it up with some of the broth, blowing at it to cool it. She carefully sipped it, brown eyes wide with surprise._

"_It's really good," she said in a low voice. "And it soothes my throat, too."_

"_Told you that it would be good."_

_At that, Static and Togetic looked at Blue, eyes full of longing._

"_Okay, I get it," he said, walking back to the kitchen. "I'll serve you guys a bowl, too."_

"_How about we have our Pokémon try it out," offered Leaf. "Except our Pidgeot… Rice isn't good for them."_

"_Sure, why not."_

_Leaf got up as well, helping Blue with the bowls. They moved the soup outside, so that they could eat with their Pokémon. For their Pidgeot, Leaf gave them bread and crackers that were in her house. To Leaf, it was a good day to be sick._

_A few days later…_

"_Damn it! I knew that she would get me sick," thought Blue, staring at his ceiling with irritation. He was lying in bed, pretty much feeling like crap. He had caught Leaf's flu but it didn't fully hit him until recently. There was a knock at his door, which opened. He sat up, seeing Leaf walk in with a bowl of soup as Daisy watched from the doorway._

"_Here, Blue! This is a soup I made myself," she said happily, setting it and a spoon on the nightstand near his bed. "I hope you like it."_

_She handed him a few napkins, one of which he used to grab the bowl without burning his hand. He looked at the contents in it, seeing tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, celery, cabbage, those weird bluish-purple potatoes, and rice._

"_It's like you cooked a rainbow in this," said Blue, blowing at a spoonful of broth. Leaf laughed as he sipped some of the soup. He had to admit that it was just as good as the soup he made for her. Before he could tell her anything, she walked away, wanting to let him rest a bit more._

"_I'm sorry," she said, looking back at him and then stepping out of his room. Blue looked from the soup to Daisy, a slightly worried look on his face._

"_She didn't poison this, did she," he asked Daisy, who just laughed and shook her head._

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Here you go! A really long chapter to make up for my lack of updating! Gah, two of the most annoying things to ever happen in a gym leader battle was in this chapter: 1.) Healing their Pokemon before you can finish it off, and 2.) Healing your Pokemon from a status condition only to have the same status condition inflicted on them again right after. To tell you the truth, I try NOT to have HM Slaves, but SoulSilver has too many for me to evenly divide between my Pokemon, unlike FireRed. However, Surf and Fly are really useful for me. Silly Blue, don't be so paranoid about the girl you'll be living with in a few years. I think Blue will make a great housewife someday, ha. Goldenrod City is coming up in the next chapter. Thank you all for reviewing the past chapters!**_


	7. Exploring Goldenrod City

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 1: The First Steps

"Oh, look, Lyra! Another bug Pokémon," said Ethan with a smirk, causing the girl to let go of his sweater sleeve. She froze in place, looking to her right and seeing a Butterfree fluttering near a girl in a pink shirt and blue pants. She had thought that by entering the gate between Ilex Forest and Route 34, she would be able to finally get away from Bug-type Pokémon.

"It's like I can never escape from them," muttered Lyra, trembling at the sight of the Butterfree.

"You're weird, Lyra. Most girls who don't like bugs like Butterfree and Beautifly."

"The eyes are creepy-looking. Just look at them!"

Ethan looked, indifference written all over his face.

"I don't see what you're seeing," he said, a smile slowly appearing on his mouth. "But, I do see one hell of a babe next to that Butterfree."

Ethan walked over to the counter of the gate, Lyra stuck between stopping him from flirting and not going anywhere near the Butterfree. She instead settled for listening in on the conversation.

"Oh, you're working on a Pokédex," asked the girl, impressed by Ethan. "You must be battling all kinds of Pokémon."

"Yeah, it's not easy, but no one said it was," said Ethan, resting his right arm on the counter. "It'd be a lot more enjoyable if someone like you was with me."

The girl giggled and said, "I can't do that, but I think I have something that can help you."

She looked behind the counter, taking out a cd case and handing it to Ethan.

"That contains a move called 'Taunt,'" explained the girl. "A friend of mine gave me a few of those TMs, but I'm not a trainer so I can't really use them."

"Hey, think you can give me an extra one for my sister over there," asked Ethan, pointing to Lyra behind him. "She's really shy and I'd be doing her a favor if I ask for her."

"Of course! You're so sweet to take care of your sister," she said, giving Ethan another TM. "But, you two don't really look alike."

"She's my stepsister."

"I see… Well, please, take care of yourselves. It's really dangerous out there."

"You don't have to worry about us," said Ethan, giving her a boyish smile. "I'll think of you every time my Pokémon use the TM you gave me."

He winked at her, the girl blushing at the gesture, and walked over to Lyra, giving her the TM. They both walked out of the gate, Lyra a little surprised as to what just happened.

"If Kris was here, she would have pulled you away by the ear," said Lyra, wondering where their friend was.

"Hey, I got two TMs out of that girl. I shouldn't be punished for being really good with the ladies," said Ethan, grinning proudly.

"Well, I guess it's a little better than that guy in one of my manga who gropes girls' butts and asks them to bear his children."

"Again, you read some weird ass manga. That's sexual harassment around here, and I know better than to do that."

Lyra laughed at that comment, walking through Route 34. The route had a long dirt road, a large field of tall grass taking up most of the space, and a few puddles of water on the ground. At the end, the buildings of Goldenrod City could be seen. Of course, there were trainers waiting along the road, who challenged them to battles. They also registered some numbers from a few of them, adding to their growing contact list. Not that they were complaining since this meant that they'd be able to have rematches in the future. As they made their way through the route, Lyra switched out Voltage and sent out Cascade instead while Ethan switched out Togepi with his Bayleef. In the middle of the route, they came across a building with a red roof, an old man standing beside the sign next to it.

"Grandpa," yelled a familiar voice, Lyra's eyes quickly searching for the source. She smiled as Kris walked down the route, her Marill loyally following her. She was wearing a red shirt with a small white sweater over it and black and yellow biker shorts, wearing black and white shoes. She approached the old man, looking both excited and happy.

"Good work, Grandpa," she said, giving him a thumbs-up. "The Pokémon you raised for me is as healthy as ever! And you're looking great, too!"

"Kris," called out Lyra, waving her arms in the air and jumping to get her attention. Kris looked over, surprised to see both her friends nearby.

"Lyra! Ethan," she said happily, running up to them. She gave Lyra a hug and gave Ethan a high-five, glad to see her friends again.

"I haven't seen you guys in a long while," said Kris, pleased that she's been ahead of them. "What's been keeping you?"

"Just training and challenging gym leaders," replied Ethan, smiling. "Lyra and I already got our second badge."

"Wow, so you're going to challenge all the gyms?"

"That's right," said Lyra, giving a brief nod. "I'm doing the best I can to train my Pokémon so we can beat the gym leaders."

"Oh, hey, there's someone I want you two to meet."

Kris led them to the old man, who had been watching them the whole time.

"Guys, this is my grandpa," introduced Kris. "Grandpa, this is Lyra and Ethan, the friends I've been telling you about. They're both trainers, and I think they've been getting better at raising Pokémon. Well, not as well as you, Grandpa."

"Kiss-ass," said Ethan, earning a glare from Kris.

"It's nice to finally meet the both of you," said Kris' grandpa. "Kris, you should introduce your friends to your grandmother, too. I'm sure she'd like to meet them."

"Okay! C'mon, guys," said Kris, leading them inside the building. Inside, there was a computer at the corner, an old woman standing behind a counter, and an indoor garden behind a fence.

"Grandma," began Kris, walking up to the counter. "These are my friends, Lyra and Ethan."

"Ah, so this is your boyfriend and girlfriend. It's all right, Kris. I'll still love you no matter your preferences."

"What," yelled Kris, Ethan laughing while Lyra's jaw dropped. "Grandma! What are you talking about?"

"Whoa! Hold on," said Lyra, blushing with embarrassment. "I've read some yuri manga, but that doesn't mean I'm into it myself!"

"Oh, Arceus, I can't breathe," laughed Ethan, hugging his stomach.

"They just happen to live nearby," explained Kris, also blushing. "It's nothing like that!"

"I know. I know," said her grandmother, chuckling. "I was only teasing. Anyway, since you've taken them both here, you must be sure about their talents. Right, Ethan and Lyra? Don't be afraid to see us anytime!"

Kris turned around and walked up to her friends, still blushing and rubbing the back of her head out of embarrassment.

"I have to get going, so I'll see you guys later," she told them, smiling awkwardly. "But, before I forget, I'll give you two my Pokégear number. I've been meaning to tell you, but I always forgot."

She took out her Pokégear as Ethan and Lyra did the same, exchanging numbers. However, as Ethan gave his number to Kris, she gave him a confused look.

"Ethan, did you change your number? It's not the same one as before," she said, a look of surprise on Lyra's face. Lyra never noticed, mainly because she always struggled to remember phone numbers, and she was surprised that Kris caught on. Ethan remained silent, walking out of the day-care. Lyra and Kris exchanged glances, said their goodbyes to Kris' grandmother, and went after Ethan. He was standing in the middle of the road up ahead, staring at Goldenrod City. Both girls joined him, taking in the view of the city. They knew that Ethan wanted to search that city for a certain someone as soon as possible. Kris asked her question again, her voice strangely soft.

"Yeah, I did," replied Ethan, shrugging a little. "When your dad was fixing it, I asked him to. It's probably one of the best things I've done."

"Um, Ethan," began Lyra, looking worriedly at him. "Every night, before I go to sleep, I called my mom to let her know how I was doing."

"Your point?"

"Well, um, I think you should call your mom and tell her how you're doing."

"For what? So she can call the police and have them deliver me to her doorstep back home? Yeah, I don't think so."

"Ethan, did you even tell your mom goodbye before you left New Bark Town," asked Kris, staring intently at him.

"Hell no. She would have just made me stay home."

"You didn't leave her a note or anything?"

Kris' voice was strong, obviously frustrated from what they were talking about.

"No, I didn't, and it's not a big deal. It's better that she doesn't know that I'm close to Goldenrod."

"Not a big deal," asked Kris, now angry. "You left your mom without a word! You've done a lot of stupid shit before, but this is the stupidest thing you've done so far, Ethan!"

"Didn't you even think how she'll feel when you left without saying anything," asked Lyra, very disappointed. "She's worried sick about you!"

"And how do you know that," asked Ethan, getting annoyed.

"My mom told me that she came by our house to ask about you. She's probably wondering where you went off to."

"It's obvious that she doesn't want me to see him again! She only wants me home so she can run my life the way she wants to. Jeez, get off my back about this already!"

"Ethan! Just because she's controlling doesn't mean she deserves to have her son leave without telling her anything! My mom sometimes made me angry whenever she wasted a day just drinking, and I was left to take care of her. But, I still told her what was going on, and I was able to leave home."

"That's easy for someone like you to say! Having a drunk for a mom should have made it easy for you to do whatever the hell you wanted. But you give up your freedom while I'm fighting to get it."

"She didn't have a choice, Ethan," said Kris, defending Lyra.

"Don't tell me that she didn't have a choice! You always have a choice in everything. She could have left home and gone out whenever her mom passed out. She didn't have to stay home all the damn time, wasting her life watching anime, reading manga, and playing video games. She had many chances to live the life she wanted, but didn't take them. I finally have the chance to live my life, and I'm not going to fucking risk giving it up by talking to her."

Ethan walked away, heading to Goldenrod City. Lyra and Kris watched him leave, Lyra crying out of frustration.

"I only did what I thought was right," said Lyra, wiping her tears away angrily. "To me, it wasn't right to abandon my mom."

"He knows that, Lyra," said Kris, putting her hand on Lyra's shoulder. "He's just really desperate to see his dad again. Maybe, if he finds him, it'll help him see things more clearly."

Kris reached into her blue bag and took out a handheld notebook. She flipped through the pages of notes until she came to a blank page. She took out a pencil and began to write down some numbers on the page.

"What's all that," asked Lyra, calming herself.

"I've been making notes of the funny things Pokémon do in certain places," replied Kris, ripping out the page. "Anyway, here are the numbers to my Grandma and Grandpa's Pokégears. That way you can check in on your Pokémon if you ever leave one at the day-care."

She gave the small page to Lyra, who began to enter the numbers in her own Pokégear. She looked up when she heard Kris sigh.

"Sometimes, Ethan makes me want to beat him in the head with my hammer," she said, chuckling. "But, I can't blame him for the way he acts. I think I would be doing the same thing if I were in his shoes. Anyway, I'll see you around, Lyra. Take care of yourself!"

Kris walked ahead, entering the city. Lyra sighed, looking over her shoulder at her Wooper. Cascade looked up worriedly at her, probably concerned about all the yelling earlier. Lyra managed a smile and then looked back at Goldenrod. She stepped into the city, following her friends. She had only reached the end of the first block when she saw the Pokémon Center. Ethan had told her it was important to find the Pokémon Centers first, and she wanted to heal up her Pokémon before exploring the rest of the city. She left her Pokémon with the nurse, standing by the counter as she waited.

"Hey, look. They finally finished the construction downstairs," said a Picnicker to a Camper as they walked out of the Pokémon Center. Lyra glanced at the escalator nearby, but she was too curious about the rest of the city to bother heading downstairs. Lyra took out her Pokégear, looking through her contacts. She decided to give Professor Oak another call and check if he had got a hold of Leaf. She waited a couple of seconds before he picked up.

"Hello, this is Professor Oak," he said, sounding rather professional.

"Hi, professor. This is Lyra," said Lyra, though she figured he might have caller ID. "Um, I was just wondering, but have you talked to Leaf yet?"

"I'm sorry, but I haven't," he replied with a sigh. "That girl is very elusive when she's doing her research at the Sevii Islands. It's difficult as it is to get a hold of the Pokémon Centers over there, and she's not always staying in one of them. She's grown kind of fond of sleeping outdoors."

"So, why does she keep her Pokégear off? Didn't she consider that there might be an emergency or something?"

"Ah, well… My grandson is to blame for that. At one point, he called her so much that it annoyed her, which is why she keeps her Pokégear off when she does her research."

"Oh. Let me know if anything comes up. Sorry to bother you."

"It's all right, Lyra. Though, knowing Leaf, I'm sure she'll help you and Ethan. She isn't the type of person to turn her back on someone who needs her help."

"Okay, thanks."

Lyra hung up, putting away her Pokégear and picking up her fully-healed Pokémon from the nurse. She walked out of the Pokémon Center and saw a tall building across the street. She walked over to it, seeing a sign that read, "Goldenrod Department Store". Her brown eyes were wide with surprise, which changed into happiness.

"I hope they have those limited edition Lapras Pokédolls," she said excitedly to Cascade. "Then I'll be closer to completing my collection back home!"

She ran inside, heading up the escalator to the second floor. She and Cascade looked through the merchandise there, but there were no Lapras Pokédolls. Lyra moved her search to the third floor, hoping she'll have luck there. Unfortunately, there were only battle items there. On the fourth floor, there were only vitamins and special supplements for Pokémon to make them stronger. Lyra considered buying some, until she saw the prices. With the money she had now, buying vitamins would take out a great majority of her savings. She went up to the fifth floor, which she found out only sold TMs. She was getting a little disappointed, hoping the sixth floor held the item she was looking for.

"Welcome," said an attendant behind a counter. "Would you like to enter in the Daily Drawing? We have great prizes for you to win."

"Uh, all right. I don't see much harm in doing that," said Lyra, walking up to the counter.

"Three hundred dollars, please."

Lyra paid her the amount, wondering if it would be worth it in the end. The woman held out a bucket full of slips of paper, and Lyra reached in and grabbed one. There was a number three on the paper, which Lyra didn't know what that meant. She showed the attendant, who smiled.

"You got yourself the number three prize," she said enthusiastically. "Here you go!"

From another bucket, the attendant gave Lyra a rawst berry, which Lyra thought might help in the long run, hopefully. Lyra then continued her search for her Lapras Pokédoll. Though, this floor didn't sell them either. She sighed, heading to the elevator for a shortcut to the first floor. She went back outside, deciding to wander the streets for any other interesting things. She was really excited to be in such a big city since it was the complete opposite of her quiet home in New Bark Town. Not that she was complaining about her home, but it was nice to have a change of scenery.

On the corner of a street, she saw a fun-looking building. The sign out front read, "Goldenrod City Game Corner: A Safe and Sound Playground". Lyra didn't waste any time to get inside, wondering what kind of games were inside. She was in a large room; the floor had orange-pink tiles, rugs with pink designs, and dark gold checkered curtains on the windows. For a playground, Lyra had to admit that it was nicely decorated.

"Ah, hello! Welcome to the Game Corner," said a man in a black suit standing by a table that lit up. "My name is Mr. Game!"

"Hi! My name is Lyra," introduced Lyra, walking up to the man.

"Did you come here to play my coin game? It makes me happy to see people enjoy my game! In fact, that's what I live for! And you look like quite a challenger."

"R-really?"

"Why don't you play my coin game? You can get fabulous prizes if you manage to collect a lot of coins."

"Wow, that sounds like a lot of fun! Okay, I'll give it a try."

"All right! Here is your Coin Case," said Mr. Game, reaching into his jacket and giving Lyra a square black case. "Please, show me how you play."

"But, how do you play? I mean, what are the rules and stuff?"

"Voltorb Flip is a game in which you flip over cards to find numbers hidden beneath them. The cards have numbers ranging from one to three, along with Voltorb. The first number you flip over will give you that many coins. From then on, the next number you find will multiply the total amount of coins you've collected by that number. But, if you flip over a Voltorb, it's game over. When that happens, you lose all the coins you've collected in the game. However, you can quit whenever you want and take the coins you've collected. You move on to the next level when you find all the hidden 2 and 3 cards. You'll win more coins in higher levels."

Lyra sat across from the man, staring at the blinking table. It was one hell of an explanation the man gave about the game, but she understood the basics. All that was left was to play and see how good she'll do. Lyra looked at the cards, seeing numbers and Voltorb at the bottom and right edges. Three of the rows had zeroes next to the Voltorb, which Lyra figured meant that there weren't any Voltorb in those rows. She tapped on the table, flipping the card and revealing 1's and 2's. On one row, she guessed on some of the cards sine there was only one Voltorb hiding somewhere. To her surprise, she found all the hidden 2's and 3's in that row.

"Amazing," said Mr. Game with enthusiasm. "You've reached Level 2! You must have a really good eye and great mathematical deductions to win!"

"I think I was just lucky this time," said Lyra, earning her coins from a slot at the side of the table. "I can't stay very long, but I'll come by again to play some other time."

Lyra put away her coins in her case, putting it away in her bag, and got up to leave. She went back outside and wandered down the street, passing by a few houses. She found a small building, which was one of the entrances to the Underground. She went inside, seeing a small room with white floor tiles and a couple potted plants. There was a staircase nearby, and, to her surprise, a Marill ran up the steps. It stopped, looking happy to see Lyra. She knew very well who that Marill belonged to.

"Hi, Lyra," said Kris, who made it to the top of the stairs. "You're just in time. In this tunnel, there's a Dress-Up Shop. That's where your Pokémon can put on accessories and take pictures."

"That's so cute," said Lyra, already imagining her Pokémon wearing little bows, hats, and jewelry.

"I figured you'd say something like that, so I got you a Fashion Case. I didn't get one for Ethan because he'll probably think of this as really girly."

She reached into her bag and gave Lyra a heart-shaped pink case.

"Keep accessories in that Fashion Case," explained Kris. "By the way, have you seen Ethan yet?"

"No, I haven't."

"Yeah, me either. I hope things turn out okay for him. Okay, Lyra, I'll see you later."

Lyra watched her friend leave and then headed downstairs to find the Dress-Up Shop. She didn't expect to find trainers there, but she was confident that Cascade can defeat them. The first trainer, a Super Nerd, had only Grimer, which Lyra wasn't very familiar with. She didn't know the type it was, nor if Cascade even had a type advantage. However, after using Mud Shot on the first Grimer, she found out that it was weak against Ground-type moves. After defeating him, Lyra was challenged by a Pokémaniac with a Lickitung. Cascade used Slam on it, but it used Supersonic to confuse her. Lyra quickly switched her out with Cynder, who took Cut from the Lickitung. However, Cynder countered with Ember, severely weakening the opposing Pokémon who tried to use Supersonic again. Cynder quickly followed up with Quick Attack, knocking out the Lickitung.

After those battles, Lyra walked down the long hall to two other trainers. Another Super Nerd challenged her, mentioning the different types of Pokémon. She really should have asked Ethan more about that so that she was prepared for battles. After Cascade defeated his Pokémon, she decided to give her a rest from battling, switching her out with Zephyr. She finally found what she assumed was the Dress-Up Shop, a camera standing in front of the counter, but she stood in place, remembering the Fashion Case Kris gave her. She took it out of her bag, opening it up and checking what was inside. However, there were only a few things inside like fluff, mustaches, and feathers.

"There's barely anything in here," said Lyra to Zephyr, showing the Hoothoot the case. Zephyr just glanced at the case and then back at Lyra, a look of indifference on her face.

"Do you even care," she asked Zephyr, who only looked away. "I'll take that as a 'no'. Well, I was thinking of dressing up Voltage since I think she'll look adorable wearing bows and stuff."

Zephyr seemed to smirk at that, seeing it as a glorious opportunity to humiliate the egotistic Flaaffy.

"Hey, you," called out a man standing behind the counter of the Dress-Up Shop. "Would you like to take a picture with your Pokémon?"

"A picture," asked Lyra, putting away her Fashion Case and skipping up to the counter. "Do I have to pay to take a picture?"

"No, it's absolutely free. See, my studio is no ordinary studio! It's the Memorial Photo Studio, and I believe that memories are priceless. So, what do you say? You can even dress up in a Team Rocket uniform."

Lyra thought it over. Sure, Team Rocket wasn't the most… Ideal of role models, but that didn't mean she was part of them. It was just dressing up, and she'll get a photo with her Pokémon.

"Okay, I'll take a picture," she said.

"Great! Here's the uniform," said the man, handing her a black bundle of clothes. "Go to the room to my left and change in there. When you're done, stand in front of the camera and we'll take your picture with your Pokémon."

Lyra took the clothes, walking to the room the man told her to go change. The room had many empty stalls along the walls. She entered one, Zephyr standing on the top of the stall door, and quickly changed into the Rocket uniform. When she was done, she quickly examined herself in the mirror on the wall.

"I look pretty good in this," she said, turning a bit to pose. "I'm good at cosplaying, right, Zephyr?"

Zephyr's eyes looked to the side, which seemed to say, "If that's what you think."

Lyra gathered her clothes and stuffed them in her bag, walking out of the stall. Zephyr flew down, following her outside. The man, who was checking his camera, pointed at a spot directly in front of the camera. Lyra walked to where he was pointing, sending out her other Pokémon.

"Everyone, we're going to take a picture, so look your best," said Lyra, smiling at her Pokémon. Cynder walked up to Voltage, staring at the ground shyly. The Flaaffy, who had her head held high, glanced at him from the corner of her eye. The Quilava gave a low growl, but Voltage just turned away, opting to stand next to Lyra. Cynder looked at the ground with disappointment, Zephyr shrugging a little to him. Cascade, however, was oblivious to what was going on and hopped around happily, excited to take a picture with everyone. Lyra had them stand in certain spots so that the man could take the picture. When everyone was ready, he took the picture, a photograph coming out of the camera. The man grabbed the photo and waved it in the air, occasionally looking at it to see if the image was showing up.

"Here you go," he said, handing Lyra the photograph. "It came out really great! Please return the Rocket uniform when you're done changing."

"Wow, you guys all look good," said Lyra, crouching down and showing her Pokémon the photo. "I'm going to save it so that we have memories of today."

She stood up and put away the photo in a pocket of her bag, returning all her Pokémon except Zephyr to their pokéballs. She walked up the nearest staircase and left the Goldenrod Underground. Back outside, she stretched her arms in the air, looking up at the clear, blue summer sky. She looked around, a certain building catching her eye. She crossed the street to check out the familiar-looking building.

"So this is where the gym was," she said to herself, reading the sign next to it. "'Whitney: The Incredibly Pretty Girl!' I think Ethan would really like to challenge her."

She sighed, wondering where Ethan was now.

"Excuse me," said a female voice, startling Lyra. She looked to her right, seeing a brown-haired woman in a purple dress looking at her. The woman was standing in front of the doors to the gym, keeping everyone from entering it during the gym leader's absence.

"Whitney isn't here right now," said the woman, her eyes sizing up Lyra and Zephyr. "She went to the Radio Tower to get a radio card. I don't know when she'll come back."

As Lyra walked to the Radio Tower, Ethan was standing in front of a tall apartment complex. He looked down at the torn yellow paper in his hand, a page he ripped out of a phone book. His search through Goldenrod City would have been very difficult if he didn't look through the phone book. He took a deep breath, tucking the paper in his sweater pocket, and walked inside the building. The lobby was empty, just empty chairs and tables around with a couple of vending machines by the walls. He stepped into the elevator and riding it to the fifth floor. He walked down the long hallway, checking the numbers painted on the doors. He stopped in front of a door that had the number 46 on it. With a deep breath, he knocked on the door, his hands shaking from anxiety.

"I'll get it," said a female voice on the other side. Ethan could hear the locks on the door turning, and the door opened, revealing a blonde woman wearing a white apron with different colored paint smeared on it at random areas. Underneath the apron, she was wearing worn out jeans and a white t-shirt. Her blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, blue eyes staring at him with surprise. She covered her mouth with her hand, muffling a noise she made, and looked like she was about to cry. Before Ethan could speak, she brought up her free hand, gesturing him to be silent.

"You look just like him," she said, bringing her hands down and smiling at him. "I'll tell him you're here. Please, come inside."

She opened the door wider for him, letting him enter the apartment. She closed the door, locking it up, and walked down a hallway nearby. Ethan looked around the living room he was in, seeing a couch with an intricate design on it and clay sculptures of different Pokémon. On the walls, there were paintings of still-life and realistic scenery of forests, mountains, and oceans. There was a large bookcase at the corner of the room, every shelf filled with books. Just across from the couch was a large television, which Ethan thought must have been expensive. He heard a door somewhere down the hallway suddenly open and the sound of someone running echoed. He quickly looked over to see a tall man stare at him with similar amber eyes. He had short black hair, and was wearing a smoky gray shirt with a white skull on it and blue pants that were torn at the knees. For a moment, time felt like it stopped as they stared at each other, finding it hard to believe that they were seeing each other for the first time in a long time. Suddenly, the man walked over and hugged him, holding Ethan close to him.

"It's you. It really is you," he said to Ethan, his voice shaky. "You've grown so much."

"Hi, dad," said Ethan, hugging him back. "It's great to see you again. I missed you."

It was taking every ounce of Ethan's will to keep himself from crying. He doubted he could keep it up for very long.

* * *

><p><em>Leaf walked to Red's house, carrying a Pokémon egg in her arms. She understood that the most painful goodbyes were the ones that were never said nor explained. And to think that she did just that to Blue a couple weeks ago, doing the exact same thing Red did. It surprised her that Blue didn't hold a grudge against her for that, and she didn't expect him to be waiting for her at the harbor of Vermilion City. She called him to let him know she was returning but figured that he was too busy to see her. She smiled, remembering how happy she felt to see him waiting for her.<em>

_She snapped out of her daydream, looking up to see where she was going. She made it to Red's house, knocking on the front door. Strangely, she was half-expecting Red to answer the door, even though it was impossible now. It would be a miracle if that were to happen. She knew who was going to answer the door, and that person was the reason she was there in the first place. The door opened, Hazel looking very pleased to see Leaf again._

"_Good afternoon, Leaf," she said softly. "What brings you here today?"_

"_I came here to give you this," said Leaf, holding out the egg. "It's close to hatching."_

_Hazel accepted the egg, giving Leaf a bewildered look._

"_It's… It's so you're not alone when you don't have any visitors," explained Leaf, twisting the bottom of her blue-green V-collar shirt. "I know that the Pokémon that hatches from the egg won't replace Red, but I thought—"_

"_Thank you, Leaf," interrupted Hazel. "You're very thoughtful and kind to get me this. I'll take good care of the baby Pokémon."_

"_You're welcome," said Leaf in a low voice, letting go of her shirt._

"_You look nice with bangs."_

"_Huh? Oh, yeah. I got them just yesterday. They're kind of uneven and messy, though."_

"_It makes you look different, and that's what makes it nice."_

_Leaf blushed with embarrassment, wondering what Blue will think since he was the one who suggested that she get bangs._

"_Um, I have to get going now," said Leaf, shifting from one foot to another. "I'll come by tomorrow to check on the Pokémon. But, if there's anything you need, let me know. I'll be happy to help."_

"_I will. Thank you again, Leaf. I'll see you tomorrow."_

_Leaf waved at her and then walked over to Blue's house, hoping that he was there. She hadn't seen him since the day before yesterday, mainly because he was busy with the gym and she was doing some research at Mt. Moon to observe the Clefairy and their behavior. Usually, even when it was late at night, they'd meet at the beach to just talk. She was rather disappointed that they couldn't find the time yesterday to spend some time together._

"_Hang out," thought Leaf, correcting herself. "There's no 'time together'. Just hang out."_

_She mentally sighed, doubting that he'd even want to be with her like that. As much as she'd hate to boost his ego, she had to admit that he was too damn good-looking to have any trouble getting whoever he wanted. Leaf shook her head, not wanting to think the worst of him._

"_Maybe I should just tell him," she thought, getting closer to his house. Last time, she was too late to realize her own feelings for Red, and even then, she needed Blue's help to figure it out. Now, she's found out on her own, and she knew of it for a long time already. Why was she waiting? Why wait for the time when it will be too late to tell him? She didn't want that, and she certainly didn't want to repeat the same mistake she did before. She stopped walking, standing at the corner of his house. Her hand rested on her chest, feeling her heart beat rapidly._

_However, the idea of telling him the feelings she has for him was terrifying. Despite that she didn't want to repeat her mistakes, this situation was entirely different from the one with Red. At least with Red, she knew that he loved her back, so she was positive that when she told him of her feelings, everything would turn out okay. Though that didn't happen, she wasn't worried about telling him because she was aware that it was mutual. But, with Blue, that wasn't the case. She didn't know how he felt about her, and there was always the chance that he could reject her or simply see her as just a friend. Part of her didn't want to tell him for fear that their friendship might not be the same if he didn't return her feelings. After five long years of bitterness, they finally became best friends again, and here she was messing it up because she foolishly fell in love with Blue._

"_Why can't I wait for Red," she thought, moving to the side of the house and leaning against the wall. "Why am I forgetting that he loves me? How did I even fall for Blue?"_

_It infuriated her that she couldn't push away her love for Blue and just wait for the day that Red would return. It also scared her because it felt that she didn't love him enough to wait. And it both angered and frightened her that Blue was the one to make her so confused about her emotions. She began to wonder why she loved him, and what was it that lead her to even develop such feelings for him in the first place. It could have been that she was lonely after Red's disappearance. However, she knew that that wasn't it since she made many friends across Kanto. She was far from lonely. So, what was it then?_

"_I changed because of him," thought Leaf, a small smile on her lips. "I'm not the same as I was when I first met him."_

_As a rival, he inadvertently made her a stronger trainer and person. She found, and proved, her self-worth to him, and she also found her true calling in life. As a person, she's learned so much from him. How to be confident, learning from mistakes and moving on, being more aware of emotions (both hers and others), take action after you made plans… She couldn't thank him enough for all that he's done for her, including all the times he helped her with whatever problem she had._

_She sighed, even though she knew why she loved Blue. But, that was just it. She knew of her feelings for him, not of his for her. She began to wonder if she should take the chance and tell him how she felt. Although, she didn't want to sacrifice her friendship with him. To her, friendship was much better than love, mainly because it wasn't so complicated and confusing._

"_If that's the case," thought Leaf, walking the small distance to the front door. "Then why did I fall for both my friends? That was really stupid."_

_She knocked on the door, wondering if anyone was even home. She quickly dusted off her gray skirt, checking her black leggings for any dust. Daisy answered it, smiling at Leaf._

"_Hello, Leaf," greeted Daisy happily. "If you're looking for Blue, he's at his gym."_

"_What makes you think I came here just to see him," asked Leaf, tilting her head slightly to the side._

"_Because you two seem so inseparable lately," she chimed, making Leaf blush in embarrassment. "Would you like to come inside? Blue might come home early today."_

_Leaf nodded, stepping inside. An Eevee was sleeping peacefully on the couch, and the radio was playing a lullaby. Leaf took a seat by the table, staring at the teapot that was sitting on the middle of the table._

"_Grandpa told me that you've been doing a great job researching Pokémon behavior," said Daisy, sitting across from Leaf. "Is it a lot of hard work observing them?"_

"_Finding certain species is sometimes difficult," replied Leaf, watching Daisy pour some tea into a teacup and passing the cup to her. "And I don't just research how they behave, but also how they interact with other Pokémon."_

"_Oh? Can you tell me your findings?"_

"_Okay, um… Pidgey and Spearow are rather hostile to each other in the wild. From what I've seen, it's because of competition for food. However, it depends on the amount of food. If there's more than enough, they're fairly tolerant of each other. But, if there's a shortage, they get really aggressive to the other."_

"_I didn't know about that, and it all makes sense."_

"_Yeah, their aggression to each other is why they have separate territories. It was only a rare chance that I found some of them together. See, I think why certain Pokémon live in certain areas isn't just their typing or their preference, but also of how they interact with other Pokémon. It's either competition, or survival-of-the-fittest."_

"_Does that mean that you'll observe other Pokémon in different regions?"_

"_I think so. If I have the opportunity, I'll take it."_

"_Blue is going to miss you when you're gone," said Daisy, taking a sip of tea from her own teacup._

"_Speaking of Blue, um, can I ask you something," began Leaf, earning a small nod from Daisy. "Can you tell me about that crush he had on me a couple years ago?"_

_Over the months of when she first heard of it, Leaf found out what it really was, and it embarrassed her to know that Blue had liked her when they were kids. The details, however, were left out._

"_I really shouldn't," replied Daisy, playing with her hands out of nervousness. "He'll get mad at me for telling you."_

"_Oh, okay then. You don't have to tell me."_

_Leaf looked down, staring at the light brown tea in her cup._

"_Leaf, why would you want to know about that," asked Daisy, Leaf quickly looking back up at her._

"_No reason. I was just curious and all," she replied, looking back down at her tea. Leaf could feel Daisy staring at her, hearing a chuckle from her._

"_Leaf, do you like Blue?"_

"_What," asked Leaf, fighting off a blush. "No! He's just my friend. I mean, it'd be really weird if he and I were together like that."_

"_I see."_

_Daisy took another sip from her tea, a knowing smile on her face. Leaf wondered if she figured out that she really did like Blue. The sound of the locks turning on the door caused everyone to look at it, the Eevee on the couch now awake and alert. The door opened and in stepped Blue, looking surprised to see Leaf._

"_Leaf? What are you doing here," he asked, shutting the door._

"_Just visiting and stuff," replied Leaf, smiling at him. "How's the gym going?"_

"_A lot better now that I'm getting some challengers. So far, no one's beat me, not that it's an easy thing to do."_

_He sat down in the seat next to her, making Leaf's heart beat rapidly. She did her best to keep a calm face, no matter how nervous she was on the inside. Blue's Eevee jumped into his lap, happy that her master returned home._

"_Leaf," began Daisy, which made Leaf incredibly nervous of what she might say. "Your hair is different now."_

_Blue looked over, noticing the messy bangs covering her forehead._

"_Yeah, I got them yesterday," replied Leaf, remembering that it had been a week and a half since Blue suggested her getting them. "What do you think?"_

"_You look really cute with them," replied Daisy. "Don't you think so, Blue?"_

"_Beautiful," he said in a voice so low that Daisy didn't hear. Blue stood up, holding Eevee in his arms, and walked to the pantry to give her a treat. However, Leaf caught what he said, and it made her blush furiously._

"_Are you all right, Leaf," asked Daisy, noticing the girl's red face._

"_Just getting a fever," replied Leaf, suddenly getting up. "Anyway, I have to head back home and finish up a report I have to write for Professor Oak. I'll see you guys, later. Thanks for the tea, Daisy."_

_Leaf walked out, Blue watching her over his shoulder. As he fed Eevee a treat, he smirked, remembering when Leaf confused blushing with fevers. Leaf quickly made her way back home, feeling ecstatic about what Blue said. For some reason, it gave her the courage to tell him how she felt for him. Though, she wanted to tell him when they were alone together. From what he said, she was sure that there was a more than probable chance that he'll return her feelings. She smiled to herself as she entered her house, sighing._

"_You seem very happy," said her mother, watching her from the couch. The TV was on, a soap-opera playing on screen._

"_I am," said Leaf, heading for the stairs. "I have really big plans for tomorrow that I hope will happen."_

* * *

><p><em>Blue regretted the day Daisy told him the facts about Leaf's odd way of eating pocky. As a kid, he always thought it was her eccentric way of eating them, a habit, she told him, that she picked up from her parents. That's all it was to him. Then came the day when she, along with Red, were in his room, doing homework. Leaf, getting a little hungry, stopped doing her homework to have a snack. She brought a box of pocky from home, and she was eager to eat some. Of course, she did eat pocky by herself, but she liked both sharing and performing her habit. She held a pocky stick in her mouth for Red first, who took a bite from it as he read a chapter in his science textbook. She giggled, eating the rest of it herself. She put another stick in her mouth, offering it to Blue.<em>

_It was in that moment that Daisy chose to check on them. When she had opened the door, she was welcomed to the sight of Red reading his textbook and the other two sharing a pocky stick. She chuckled, asking them if they wanted any other snacks. Leaf was happy eating her pocky, so she didn't ask for any other snack. As Blue thought about it, he realized that it was the first time Daisy saw them eat pocky that way. When his friends left for home, Daisy asked him why he and Leaf were sharing pocky the way they did. He told her she liked to eat it like that. Then she asked if he knew what it was called, to which he told her that he didn't know. She told him that it was called a pocky kiss._

_At first, Blue was revolted by the idea that he and Leaf were "kissing". He told Red about it, who surprisingly blushed of what he had been doing with Leaf. For a while, Blue refused to eat pocky anymore with Leaf. She seemed disheartened at all his refusals, disappointed that one of her best friends didn't want to eat pocky with her. However, as the days went by and Blue watched Leaf and Red share pocky together numerous times, he began to regret declining her offers. Already as it was, Red sometimes took all her attention away from him, something he wasn't pleased with. He was, after all, Leaf's first friend, so he was basically entitled to have her attention all to himself. Or, that's what he thought a couple years ago. Whenever Leaf's attention was on someone else, he'd try to do something great to get her attention back. To anyone else, he was showing off for her._

_Occasionally, it backfired, Leaf finding it rather annoying when he did that. Though, there were times when she was actually impressed. Eventually, he got over his disgusted feelings for pocky kissing and asked Leaf if they could share pocky together again. The look on her face was something he won't forget. She looked absolutely happy. The next time they ate pocky, Blue noticed something he didn't notice before. Sometimes, she'd close her eyes when she offered pocky to him, holding the biscuit stick gently in her mouth. When she closed her eyes, it was like when someone closed their eyes before actually kissing another. With that thought in mind, it embarrassed him since it was like kissing, albeit indirectly. On the times when she kept her eyes open, her eyes would be on him, waiting for him to bite the other half. Even when she had her eyes closed and he ate the other half, she'd open her eyes, and they'd only see him. And he liked that, in those moments, her attention was just on him. _

_Why was Blue reminiscing of those days? Well, the odd girl called him and asked if they could talk on the beach. She also asked for him to buy some pocky for her since she didn't have any. Those memories made him a little nervous if she planned to eat her favorite snack the way she normally did. Presently, he was walking to the beach, carrying a box of pocky he bought for her. The store he bought it from only had strawberry flavor, but he doubted that Leaf would be that picky about it. Ahead of him, he could see Leaf sitting on the sand, staring at Cinnabar Island in the distance. From the look of it, she was wearing a dark blue sundress with thin white straps and a white bow tied around her waist; her legs out in front of her, feet bare if it weren't for the white sandals she wore. He thought it was funny that she went on a crazy shopping spree in Celadon City to buy so many clothes. He hasn't seen her wear her old red skirts and blue shirts ever since Red disappeared. Maybe it was because those clothes reminded her of him._

"_Hey, I got the pocky you wanted," he said, watching her jump a little._

"_You scared me," said Leaf, looking over shoulder at him. "I mean, you surprised me."_

"_Sure," he said sarcastically, sitting down to her left. "But if I really wanted to scare you, I'd take you to a cemetery."_

"_Th-that's not funny! Places like that freak me out."_

"_I was only joking. Jeez, calm down."_

_He opened the box of pocky, handing it to her. She happily took one out, taking a bite out of it._

"_So, what'd you want to talk about," asked Blue, watching her eat._

"_Anything. Just like old times," she said, smiling gently. "But, um, did you really mean what you said yesterday?"_

"_About what?"_

"_About my hair."_

_Leaf was staring at the ocean, doing everything she could to keep herself from blushing and have an even voice. She was sure that he had no idea how nervous she was._

"_I didn't say anything about your hair yesterday," he said, looking at the sand. He didn't want to admit that since she might interpret it differently. Knowing Leaf, she might see that he liked her._

"_Oh. Guess it was just my imagination."_

_Leaf finished the pocky stick, holding a piece of her hair in her hand. She wondered what else she imagined, and that included Blue's supposedly more-than-probable feelings for her. She let go of her hair, picking up the box of pocky and staring into it. She wanted to tell Blue what she felt for him, but now she wasn't so sure. She mentally shook her head, swallowing her apprehension. It didn't matter if she was sure or not about anything now. She'll figure it out herself, and she wasn't going to back down. She took out another pocky stick, holding one end in her mouth. She tapped Blue's shoulder, who looked a little surprised at what she was doing._

"_Really, Leaf? Can't you just eat it on your own," he asked, looking a little annoyed. Leaf shook her head in response, and he sighed._

"_All right. Fine," he said, turning a little to get a better angle. When he leaned close to take a bite, Leaf dropped the pocky from her mouth, grabbed the collar of his jacket with both hands, and pulled him close to her, crashing her lips against his. She closed her eyes during the kiss, though Blue was just staring at her in shock. She pulled away, looking for a reaction from him. He blushed deeply, covering his mouth with his hand._

"_I knew it," said Leaf, playfully. "I knew that you'd blush if I did that. The experiment was successful!"_

_Blue began to wonder if she was just toying with his emotions by testing out this so-called experiment._

"_Blue," she said softly, causing him to meet her gaze. "I like you."_

"_Like a friend, right?"_

"_What kind of friends kiss," she asked, a little shocked._

"_Friends with benefits."_

_Leaf was left speechless at that, not expecting such an answer from him. Then again, she really shouldn't be surprised._

"_No, Blue," said Leaf, overcoming her surprise. "I don't want to be friends because I… I love you."_

"_Why?"_

"_What?"_

"_Why do you love me?"_

"_You've helped me live and learn. But it's more than just that. You have a confidence that I can never have, and I admire that. You admit that you make mistakes to me, and you can make me laugh. You're nice, strong, adventurous… I can go on forever with that list. You've done so much for me; I don't know what I can do to thank you, and it's really—"_

_Blue suddenly hugged her, surprising her. She relaxed, hugging him back._

"_You don't have to do anything to thank me," he said softly. "Just keep being yourself. I love how different you are, and I love who I am when I'm around you. Sometimes, I didn't feel I deserved you because of our fight and the way I treated you. That's why I wasn't so sure if you'd ever love me."_

"_You learned from it, right? It was a rough time for us both, but we grew from that. Things happen for a reason." She pulled away from him a little, her hands now on the sides of his face. "I'm happy to have you a part of my life. That's why it hurt a lot when we fought back then. I didn't think us being friends would end up like this, though."_

_She closed the distance between them, kissing him again. However, he quickly pulled away, grabbing her hands in his own. She was confused seeing the annoyance on his face._

"_Stop kissing me," he said, surprising her. He leaned close to her face, a smirk on his lips, and said, "I want to kiss you." Leaf froze as he did just that but relaxed, moving her hands a bit so that her fingers were in the spaces between his. He pulled away, resting his forehead against hers._

"_Does this mean we're together now," asked Leaf with uncertainty._

"_You could say that," replied Blue, smiling. "Unless you want to make it official and tie us together with rope."_

_Leaf laughed at the mental image._

"_No, we don't have to do that. But, can we walk around? It's been a while since we walked around town."_

"_Sure," he said, getting up and helping her up. Leaf dusted off the sand from her dress and then grabbed his arm, walking with him away from the beach. Her hand reached for his, and she was happy when he held her hand in his. She doubted she would care if their hands didn't fit perfectly together because they weren't perfect themselves. What mattered is that they wanted to hold hands, despite how unfit their hands were, and be together. Not that that was a problem. Leaf hoped that, in the end, she was the right jigsaw piece for Blue, and he was the same for her. _

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: That's right. I beat Voltorb Flip in one shot in my new playthrough of SoulSilver. Like a boss! Now if only I could do that more often. No, Lyra, no! Don't wear the Rocket uniform often! ****Silver might be lurking around... Oh, jeez, I made this a really emotional chapter. But, again, I can't see these characters act like nothing ever goes wrong for them. Has anyone checked out the new Pokemon games coming out? Black 2 and White 2 is what they're called. Yesterday, I saw some leaked images of the new game characters. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't be surprised if the final boss in those games is everyone's hair stylist. **_

_**Oh, yeah, has anyone also seen that movie "Rango"? I found a Pokemon Easter Egg in that movie. In a certain scene, where Rango tells his posse about the Spirit of the West, you can clearly see two Unown (the T and H forms) in it. One last thing, CATSthewriter drew a comic for me that's about Leaf's confession to Blue. The link is in my profile. Anyway, sorry for the long wait. I've been really busy lately. Thank you all for reading and reviewing so far!**_


	8. Voltorb Flip and Whitney's Miltank

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 1: The First Steps

Lyra walked down the street, looking for the Radio Tower. Her Pokégear began to ring, which she took out and answered.

"Hello," she asked, continuing her walk.

"Lyra, it's Ethan," said the voice on the other line. "I found my dad."

"You did? That's great!"

"Yeah… I'm, uh, sorry about what I said earlier. It's just that I wanted to—"

"It's okay. I know what you mean. But… I still think you should call your mom and tell her what's going on."

"Ugh, this again? Look, Lyra, it's better that I don't tell her anything right now. Knowing her, she might call the Goldenrod police and tell them my dad kidnapped me. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not have my dad arrested."

"You do whatever you think is right, Ethan. I only said that because I think it's the right thing to do to call your mom."

She hung up, leaving Ethan to stare at the wall of his dad's apartment for a few seconds. He put away his Pokégear in his pocket, thinking over what Lyra said.

"You know, you should really call her," said his father, walking by him and heading to the kitchen.

"Were you eavesdropping," asked Ethan, following him into the kitchen.

"It's hard _not_ to with how loud you talk."

His father opened the door of the fridge, jumping back in surprise at what was inside.

"Kala! Warn me next time when you make art with our food," he said, his hand over his chest. Ethan looked to see what it was Kala made. In a deep dish plate, a watermelon was cut in a way that it looked like a gaping mouth. It looked like it was cleaned out of its pinkish-red flesh, only to be filled up again with smaller slices of watermelon. Around the mouth, the green skin of the husk was scraped off and shaped into teeth, giving the watermelon a menacing look. On the sides, part of the husk was carved away, a single grape in each dent. A triangular husk was attached to the back of the watermelon. Honeydew, cantaloupe, and grapes filled up the remaining space in the dish.

"Looks kind of like a Sharpedo," said Ethan, impressed by the carving.

"That's exactly what I was going for," said Kala, walking into the kitchen with paint on her hands. She walked over to the sink to wash off the paint, Ethan's dad taking out the Sharpedo fruit salad. Both Ethan and his dad grabbed a piece of watermelon from the Sharpedo's mouth.

"What gave you the idea to make this," asked Ethan to Kala.

"Hm, I don't really know," she said, giggling. "I was just going to cut up the watermelon for me and Arlind to eat. But, when I stared at the watermelon, I had the goosebumps and then inspiration hit me. So, I grabbed a carving knife and set to work."

"That's really cool. I wish Lyra could see this."

"Don't change the subject, Ethan," said Arlind, setting the plate down on a glass table. "It's best that you call your mother to let her know what's been going on."

"You too? Why can't anyone leave me alone about this?"

"Because she's your mother. I don't like what she did to me or you, but that doesn't mean I want misfortunate things to happen to her."

Kala dried off her hands with a paper towel, observing what was going on. Arlind was pretty much staring down his son, who rolled his eyes and took out his Pokégear.

"All right! I'll call her… But I'm not going to like it," said Ethan, dialing the number of his mother's phone. He walked back to the living room, staring at red clay statue of a Ponyta. The Pokégear rang a few times, Ethan hoping that she was too busy to answer.

"Hello," asked the voice on the other line, undoubtedly his mother's. He noticed that she sounded tired, which was odd since it was late afternoon.

"Mom, it's me," said Ethan, growing nervous of the upcoming scolding he'll get from her.

"E-Ethan? Is that really you," she asked eagerly. "Where are you? Are you in a city or town? Are you hurt? Did you—"

"Mom, relax. I'm in Goldenrod City… With dad."

"With your father?"

Ethan didn't answer, remaining silent. She was also quiet, possibly waiting for a reply. As Ethan waited for her to yell at him or say she'll have someone bring him back to New Bark Town, he was caught off-guard by a sound from her. To his surprise, she was sniveling, which obviously meant that she was crying.

"Mom? Are you okay," asked Ethan, knowing that was a stupid question to ask.

"Why couldn't you tell me goodbye before you left? Do you really hate me that much?"

She was sobbing already, making it difficult for Ethan to understand her.

"I don't hate you. It's just… I didn't want to be in that house for another minute. Besides, if I did tell you that I was leaving, I don't think you would have let me go."

"You're right. I probably would have made you stay. But, you could have left a note, or _something_ to tell me. I was worried sick about you! The only way I found out you were okay was when I asked about you to Lyra's mom. I tried calling you, but the operator told me the number wasn't active anymore."

"That's because I changed my number when Kris's dad was fixing my Pokégear."

"Ethan, you can't imagine how hurt I felt that you left without a word… But, it hurt the most to know that you chose not to call me until now."

"I-I'm sorry."

"Ethan, I have too many mixed emotions that I don't know what to do or say right now. I'm going to hang up, but you can call me tomorrow after I've thought things through. That is, if you want to call me."

She hung up, and Ethan closed the Pokégear, putting it back in his pocket.

"What did she say," asked Arlind, approaching his son with Kala following.

"She said to call her tomorrow after she's done some thinking," replied Ethan, staring at the carpet.

"Then you should do that. She needs time to herself to sort things out."

"I guess, for now, I should go find Lyra."

"You have my number in that Pokégear of yours?"

"Yeah, I do. I'll talk to you later, dad. Kala, it was nice meeting you."

"It was nice meeting you, too," said Kala, extending her hand for a handshake, which Ethan took. "You're always welcome here, Ethan."

Ethan said his goodbyes to his father and Kala, heading back to the streets of Goldenrod City. Lyra, on the other hand, was already inside the Radio Tower after some searching. She saw a man wearing the Team Rocket uniform standing outside the building, staring at it with amusement. She wasn't so sure what he was up to, but he was, at least, not harming anyone. She looked around the lobby for Whitney, whatever she looked like. Though, she did notice a pink-haired girl that was there. The girl was standing next to the counter, the receptionist shaking her head at her.

"I'm sorry, but that's the wrong answer," said the receptionist.

"What? I was sure that it was right," said the girl with frustration. "You just don't like me! That's why you don't want to give me the Radio Card!"

"Excuse me, but what's going on," interrupted Lyra, standing in front of the receptionist's counter.

"Oh, we have a special quiz campaign, "explained the receptionist, ignoring the girl. "Answer five questions correctly in a row to win a Radio Card. When you load it in the Pokégear, you will be able to listen to the radio anytime, anywhere! Would you like to try our quiz?"

"Sure thing! I'd be crazy not to with a prize like that."

The pink-haired girl stared quietly at Lyra as the receptionist cleared her throat to begin the quiz.

"The first question," began the receptionist with calmness. "Can you check the map with your Pokégear?"

"Yes, of course," replied Lyra, remembering the old man from Cherrygrove who gave her the map card.

"Correct! The second question: Nidorina can only be female. True?"

Lyra stood quiet, not sure how to answer that question. She hasn't seen any Nidorina or know much about them. However, the name sounded feminine so she assumed that it was true.

"Um, yes," she answered hesitantly.

"Correct! The third question: Kurt, the pokéball creator, uses apricots as ingredients?"

"No way! He uses apricorns!"

"You are correct again. The fourth question: It's impossible to use a TM on Magikarp. True?"

"True!"

Lyra was sure about this because Ethan had told her, after training his own Magikarp, that it was a weak Pokémon, but it had great potential when it evolved. She figured that a Pokémon like Magikarp wouldn't be able to learn any TMs.

"Wow! You have only one more question to go. Final question! In Professor Oak's popular show, Pokémon Talk, is he on with Marie?"

"Uh… No?"

"Bingo! You got it! Congratulations! Here's your Radio Card!"

The receptionist reached someplace behind the counter while Lyra sighed in relief. She only guessed on the last question, and she was glad that luck was on her side. The receptionist held a small, square card in an equally small plastic wrapper. She handed it to Lyra, who opened it and put it in her Pokégear. The pink-haired girl ran to Lyra, startling both her and Zephyr.

"Wow, you did it," she said excitedly. "I thought the answer to the third question was surely apricots!"

Lyra raised an eyebrow at her, imagining using apricots as pokéballs. The girl took out her Pokégear, checking the time on it.

"Oh, it's time to go back to the gym," she said, putting away her Pokégear and walking out.

"Was that Whitney," asked Lyra to Zephyr, who only gave her a blank stare. She quietly sighed, heading outside as well. She looked to her left, seeing the sign to the Magnet Train. She wished she had a ticket to board and go to Kanto so she can try to find Leaf herself. Though she hasn't heard anything about Team Rocket acting up lately, it'd bring reassurance to have the person who beat them before with her and Ethan. Also, she was curious to know what kind of person Leaf was. Since Ethan wasn't around and she didn't know what else to do besides train, she decided to kill some time at the Game Corner.

* * *

><p>"Lyra! There you are! Why didn't you answer your Pokégear," asked Ethan, walking up to Lyra, who was sitting in front of the Voltorb Flip table. Zephyr was sitting beside her, asleep since she was rather bored.<p>

"Shush, Ethan! I'm in the zone right now," said Lyra, staring at the table. "I've been playing Voltorb Flip for the past three hours already, and I'm pretty good at it!"

Ethan looked at the table, seeing all the electronic cards unturned.

"Are you even playing right now," he asked her, unsure if she was making excuses.

"I'm thinking," she replied, bringing a hand to her chin thoughtfully. "There aren't any rows with no Voltorb, which means I might have to pick a random one."

"Here, I'll help you with that."

"No! Don't!"

Ethan had already touched a card, which revealed a Voltorb on the other side, showing its little Self-Destruct animation.

"I'm sorry," said Mr. Game, who was sitting across from her. "But you have to be dropped back down to level one."

Lyra looked down, the shadow of her hat hiding her eyes.

"Eh, that's not a big deal. Right, Lyra? What level were you at? Two," asked Ethan, oblivious to the effort Lyra had put in the game.

"Ethan," she began, her voice uncharacteristically serious. "I was at level four, which I just barely reached. And then you came here and messed up my game. You should probably leave right now because I'm struggling to not strangle you."

"Jeez, relax, Lyra. It's just a game."

"It's not just a game," she yelled, obviously angry. "It's my ticket to get rare Pokémon as a prize! Do you have any idea how much I want that adorable Dratini?"

"Enough to probably pull an all-nighter playing games."

"Huh?"

"Lyra, it's almost midnight already. I've been looking for you and calling your Pokégear because I had no idea where you were."

"Wow, time flies by when you're distracted."

"Yeah, and we need to get some sleep. Tomorrow, we'll probably have to do some training for the gym here."

* * *

><p>"Okay, Zephyr," said Lyra, watching the battle. "Finish it off with a tackle!"<p>

The Hoothoot rammed its body against a Rattata, which was put to sleep by Zephyr's earlier Hypnosis. It knocked out the Rattata—not that it wasn't "knocked out" before—and ended the battle. Lyra was amazed at how strong Zephyr and her other Pokémon have become. She must be training them right if they were getting stronger. However, she noticed something strange about Zephyr, who seemed rather restless. A familiar white glow surrounded the little owl Pokémon, her body changing shape into something much larger. Lyra looked away for moment, but her attention was back on Zephyr when she heard an odd hoot. Zephyr was now much taller with powerful-looking wings, the small arrow-like feathers changed into larger crests, and there was a pattern of triangle markings on her chest.

"Congratulations," said Lyra's Pokédex from her bag. "Your Zephyr evolved into Noctowl. Heh, looks like she can finally fly now."

"Whoa, Zephyr! You're really big now," said Lyra, amazed at the height difference between Zephyr's previous and current forms.

"Well, dumbass, if you knew anything about Pokémon, you'd know that some Pokémon grow really tall when they evolve."

"H-hey! I'm new to all this!"

"_Anyway_, I think you should train that Wooper of yours. According to my calculations, I'd say she's close to evolving, too. Unless you want to be the horrible trainer that you are and scare her into not evolving."

"Why do you make me look like a bad guy?"

"'Cause I don't like you."

Lyra mentally sighed, switching out Zephyr for Cascade. She set to work on training her Wooper, wondering when she was going to evolve. Unless her Pokédex was playing some kind of joke on her to train a Pokémon that won't evolve until much later. Just as her Pokédex didn't like her, she was growing to greatly dislike it. After thirty minutes of training, Lyra was about to yell at her Pokédex for lying when Cascade's body glowed white. Just like Zephyr before her, Cascade's body became much larger than before. She no longer had the purple antennae gills and actually had arms now.

"Congratulations. You're Cascade evolved into Quagsire," said her Pokédex. "I bet if that fancy pants Pokédex was here, he'd be treating your Pokémon like she was some kind of important person."

"Why would you say that," asked Lyra, not understanding what it was saying.

"Quag_sire_. It's a fancy title that I know that Pokédex would say. Ugh, you really are stupid if I had to explain that to you."

Before Lyra could say a comeback to that, she heard footsteps approaching her. She turned to see Ethan running toward her, his Bayleef following close behind.

"Lyra, guess what I found," he said breathlessly.

"Um, I don't know. What did you find," she asked with curiosity.

"I found a bike shop! You know how useful having a bike will be? And all the sweet tricks you can do with it?"

"Not really because I don't know how to ride a bike."

"Me either, but I still think we should get one," he said, grabbing her hand and leading her back to Goldenrod City.

"But Ethan, do you even know how much one is? I heard that they can be really expensive."

"No, but we'll be able to find out and start saving up on money."

Ethan led her down a couple of streets, looking around for the bike shop. At the end of one street, he finally found it. The shop had a blue-green roof, glass windows and doors making it easy to look inside. There were many bikes lined up by the walls, a couple of toolboxes lying around on the floor. Ethan and Lyra entered the building, the man looking up with a rather depressed look. He was wearing a gray button-up shirt and brown pants, and was the only person in the shop besides Lyra and Ethan.

"Oh, finally. Customers," he said with a sigh.

"Hey, man, what's eating you," asked Ethan as Lyra looked around at the bikes.

"I opened a branch here, but I can't sell my bicycles," he replied, sighing again. "Why is that?"

"Maybe it's because people can't find your store?"

"No, that can't be it. Hey, could I get you to advertise for me? I'll let you borrow one of the bikes."

"Hell yeah!"

"Really? Great! I'd like to have your name and phone number before I loan you a bicycle."

There was a crash, both Ethan and the shop owner looking at Lyra. Cascade had accidentally knocked over the bikes with her tail, unaware that her new body had a much larger tail than before.

"Sorry," said Lyra, quickly picking up the bikes.

"Hey, could my friend help me out," asked Ethan to the shop owner. "Besides, we'll be able to cover more of the city with two people."

"Hm, that's true… All right, it's a deal. But she has to keep that Quagsire away from my bikes. There's no telling what other damage that Pokémon will cause."

Ethan gave his and Lyra's numbers to the shop owner, who then let them borrow a bike each. Lyra was unsure about this since it would have been much better if they knew how to ride bikes to make the advertising more convincing.

"Ethan, I don't think this is a good idea," she told them as they moved their bikes outside.

"Hey, Lyra, what do you call that thing some boys do in your manga? You know, when there are sparkles around them and roses in the background," he asked, which Lyra thought was random.

"Um, that's called a bishie sparkle. Why?"

"No reason."

Ethan got on his bike, keeping one foot on the ground for stability. He then put both feet on the pedals, wobbling as the bike moved. Lyra followed his lead, almost falling over a couple times.

"This is taking longer than walking," she yelled at him, losing her balance again.

"Hey, at least we're learning how to ride a bike," he retorted, looking over his shoulder at her. "By the way, if you need to brake, move the pedals backward. That way you won't crash into anything."

"O-okay."

"It's all about balance. So, as long as you can keep your balance on the bike, it should make riding it a lot easier."

"Easier said than done."

After practicing enough on the empty street near the bike shop, they, unsteadily, rode their bikes to the larger streets, hoping to get people's attention of their advertising. Ethan stopped in the middle of the street, taking out his pokéball and releasing Bayleef. He got off his bike for a moment, whispering to Bayleef. Lyra, who was a little further away, wanted to know what Ethan was telling his Pokémon.

"Okay, ready," he asked Bayleef, who nodded. "Bayleef, use bishie sparkle!"

Bayleef twirled the leaf on its head, and then gave a charming smile. Lyra was about to smack her forehead with her hand until she heard the screams of girls.

"Oh, my Arceus! Did you see that cute Bayleef," asked a girl as more of them began to crowd around Ethan and his Bayleef. And it wasn't just girls crowding around him, but guys, too. Lyra listened carefully from the side, hearing Ethan tell them about his Pokémon and the bike he was riding. She had to admit that Ethan was clever to have Bayleef act like a bishonen to get everyone's attention. After another thirty minutes of advertising, her Pokégear began to ring, which she quickly answered since it was the shop owner calling.

"This is the bike shop," said the man, many voices in the background. "I've been selling a lot of bikes lately! It's all thanks to you and Ethan for advertising for me! You can both keep the bikes I loaned you as a thank-you gift from me."

"Really? Thanks! I'll let Ethan know about this."

She put away her Pokégear, riding off to the Game Corner. Ethan seemed like he was enjoying his spot in the limelight, so she figured she could play Voltorb Flip in the meantime.

* * *

><p>"Okay, Lyra, I'm getting sick of you playing Voltorb Flip all the time now," said Ethan, dragging the girl away from the table. Her Quagsire followed them, uncertain of what was going on.<p>

"No! Stop, Ethan! I'm only fifty-eight coins away from getting that Dratini," said Lyra, trying to break free from Ethan's grip on her hands.

"Have you even earned the badge from the gym leader yet?"

"No," she replied quietly.

"Well, while you were playing your game, I won the Plain Badge. It wasn't easy but I got it. So, you should go challenge Whitney, and then we can move on to Ecruteak City. You're wasting time playing Voltorb Flip."

"It's not my fault that it's a really addictive game."

They walked through the streets until they arrived at the gym.

"Now go get that third badge," said Ethan, grinning at Lyra. "I'm sure you can do it, but I'm going to wish you luck anyway. Especially for your battle against Whitney."

"Why?"

"You'll know what I mean once you challenge her."

Lyra shrugged, entering the building. What was inside was something she wasn't expecting from a gym. The floor had pink tiles with circular patterns, potted plants randomly placed at corners, and a set of stairs that lead to a narrow pathway above. Lyra and Cascade walked up the steps, seeing a trainer nearby. Lyra thought it was best to battle her so that her Pokémon could get more battle experience. As she walked up to the gym trainer, the Beauty noticed her, looking at her with adoration.

"Oh, you are a cute little trainer," she said, making Lyra blush in embarrassment. "I like you, but I won't hold back!"

"Then I won't either," said Lyra as Cascade stepped in front of her to battle. The Beauty sent out a Sentret, which Cascade quickly took out with Mud Shot. She sent out another Sentret, Cascade attacking it with Mud Bomb. The attack hit, making Sentret faint. The Beauty then sent out a third Sentret, who quickly hit Cascade with a Quick Attack. It hurt Cascade more than it should have, but she countered with Mud Shot, lowering Sentret's speed. Sentret used Quick Attack again, hurting Cascade a bit, but Cascade defeated it with Water Gun.

"Wow, you must be good to beat me," said the Beauty, paying Lyra her prize money. "Keep it up!"

"Um, thanks," said Lyra, following the narrow path to another staircase. She went down the stairs, seeing another Beauty nearby.

"Give it your best shot, or I'll take you down," said the Beauty, standing in the middle of the path. She tossed a pokéball, sending out a Meowth. It raked its claws against Cascade, but she retaliated with Slam, her powerful tail hurting the Meowth more than usual. The Beauty sent out another Meowth, who used Slash on Cascade. The attack hurt Cascade a little, but she tried using Slam again, though she missed. Meowth quickly followed up with Bite, weakening Cascade a bit. She successfully hit Meowth with Slam, knocking it out and ending the battle.

"I lost? After all that time I spent teaching Meowth moves for taking on any type," said the Beauty with disappointment, paying Lyra the prize money. Lyra thought she didn't teach her Meowth the really good moves. Lyra moved on but realized that she had to turn back because the path to Whitney was on the other side. She walked around, passing through an arch, and met another gym trainer, this one a Lass.

"You shouldn't let your guard down just 'cause I don't look tough," said the Lass, sending out a Snubbull. It was a Pokémon Lyra didn't expect anyone in this gym to have since it wasn't, exactly, a cute Pokémon. Cascade quickly attacked with Slam, the Snubbull countering with Bite. Lyra ordered Cascade to use Mud Shot instead, which took out the Snubbull.

"Who do you think are stronger—boys or girls," asked the Lass, returning her Snubbull to its pokéball.

"Um, I don't think it matters because anyone can be strong," replied Lyra, earning a surprised look from the Lass.

Lyra only took a couple steps toward Whitney when another Lass spotted her.

"I like cute Pokémon better than strong Pokémon," said the Lass, tossing a pokéball that released a Jigglypuff. "But I have strong and cute Pokémon!"

"Me too," said Lyra, Cascade ready for the battle. Cascade attacked the Jigglypuff with Slam, defeating it before it could launch an attack. Lyra decided to give Cascade a break, sending out Voltage instead while the Lass sent out another Jigglypuff. Voltage glared at the balloon Pokémon, hitting it with Thundershock. The attack hit, severely weakening Jigglypuff and also paralyzing it. Voltage was hit by Pound, but it didn't hurt her very much. She finished off Jigglypuff with a tackle, prompting the Lass to use her last Jigglypuff. Voltage huffed, using Thundershock again to weaken the Jigglypuff. However, Jigglypuff used this opportunity to sing, putting Voltage to sleep. This allowed the weakened Jigglypuff to attack with Pound and raise its defenses. However, Voltage woke up in time before the opponent could use Pound and used Thundershock to defeat the Jigglypuff.

"I'm training really hard to try to beat Whitney, but I'm starting to get discouraged," said the Lass, calling back her faint Jigglypuff. "What to do… Well, if I lose, I'll just try harder next time!"

Lyra smiled, turning back and heading out the gym so she could heal up her Pokémon before challenging Whitney. What the Lass said was something that Lyra believed everyone should do when they lose at a Pokémon battle. After Lyra made her trip to the Pokémon Center and back, she stood before Whitney, nervous of the upcoming battle. She had Voltage out of her pokéball, who seemed more than ready to take on whatever gets thrown at her. Lyra took a deep breath before approaching Whitney, who was pleased to see her.

"Hi, I'm Whitney," she said excitedly. "Oh, it's you! I saw you at the Radio Tower yesterday!"

"Yeah, that was me," said Lyra, chuckling out of nervousness.

"Everyone was into Pokémon, so I got into it, too! Pokémon are super cute! You want to battle?"

"That's kind of why I'm here."

"Okay, but I'm warning you—I'm good!"

She sent out a Clefairy, a cute pink Pokémon, as Voltage jumped in front of Lyra, eager to battle. Voltage used Thundershock, hurting Clefairy. However, from the attack, Clefairy used Mimic to copy it. The Flaaffy decided to hinder her opponent by paralyzing it, using Thunder Wave as Clefairy attacked with Double Slap. Voltage endured the attack, which annoyed her greatly, and tackled Clefairy, who wasn't hurt much by it. Clefairy used the newly learned Thundershock, but, since it was an Electric-type move, it didn't hurt Voltage much. Voltage quickly used a Thundershock of her own, finishing off the Clefairy.

Lyra switched out Voltage with Cascade as Whitney did the same for her Clefairy, sending out Miltank. Miltank was a pink Pokémon with black around its head, along with two small horns, and an udder on its stomach.

"Just one left," asked Whitney, giving a determined look at Lyra. "But, I ain't losing! Ya hear?"

Miltank attacked first with Stomp, hitting Cascade with its hoof. The attack made Cascade flinch, making her incapable of retaliating. It used another Stomp, but Cascade countered with Mud Shot, lowering its speed. Another Stomp, and another Mud Shot followed, this one hurting Miltank than it normally would. With Miltank's speed lowered, Cascade followed up with Mud Bomb, finishing off the Miltank and bringing victory to Lyra.

"You did it, Cascade," said Lyra happily, the Quagsire looking back at her with its usual smile. However, a certain person wasn't too happy about the outcome of this battle. Whitney began to cry loudly, startling Lyra and Cascade.

"You meanie," said Whitney, turning her back to them. Lyra waited for a moment, watching the gym leader cry, before turning around and walking away.

"We should give her some time to calm down," said Lyra to Cascade, who nodded in agreement. They passed under the arch when the last gym trainer Lyra battled stopped them.

"Oh, no. You made Whitney cry," she said, giving a disapproving look.

"I-I didn't mean to! I was only trying my best to win," explained Lyra, feeling a little guilty.

"It's okay. She'll stop soon," chuckled the Lass. "She always cries when she loses."

Lyra looked at Cascade, who looked back at Whitney. It seemed that the gym leader was finally done crying, so Lyra walked back to her. She was still sniffing, wiping the last of her tears away from her face.

"Um, Whitney," began Lyra hesitantly.

"What? What do you want," asked Whitney, trying to keep her voice even.

"The badge you're supposed to give me."

"Oh, right. I forgot," she said, walking to where a purse hung on hook in the wall. She opened it up, looked through it, and took out a yellow, diamond-shaped badge.

"Here's the Plain Badge," said Whitney, handing the badge to Lyra.

"All right! My third badge," said Lyra with excitement, putting the badge away in her little bag with the other badges.

"The Plain Badge lets your Pokémon use Strength outside of battle," explained Whitney, now smiling. "Oh, you can have this, too!"

She looked through her bag again and took out a TM, giving the cd to Lyra.

"It's Attract! It makes full use of a Pokémon's charm," she told Lyra. "Isn't it just perfect for a cutie like me?"

"Uh, yeah," replied Lyra, hoping there weren't any yuri undertones in her answer.

"I heard that this thing called the Pokéathlon Dome is now open right next to the National Park. You should go try it, since you're so good at battling with your Pokémon!"

"Sure, I'll check it out on my way to Ecruteak City. But, are you okay now?"

"Yeah, that was a good cry. Come visit me again, 'kay? Bye-bye!"

Lyra giggled, waving goodbye to Whitney as she and her Quagsire walked away. She was happy to have won her third badge already, but she knew that there was still a long way to go before reaching the Elite Four. However, that Rocket grunt that was standing in front of the Radio Tower made her feel uneasy. He was there for a reason, but she couldn't figure out what. She sighed as she stepped out into the warm afternoon air, knowing that only time will tell.

* * *

><p><em>Leaf looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, checking for anything out of place. She looked over her white sundress, seeing if there were any loose strings around the sleeves or any stains. Her eyes wandered down to the knee-length black leggings, which she wore because the dress was about mid-thigh length. The black ballet flats with bows on the front were new, so there wasn't much to worry about that. She picked up the purse she hung on the doorknob, using it to hold her pokéballs and other necessities since she didn't have any pockets. She sighed in relief but then began to wonder why she was obsessing over her appearance at this time.<em>

"_Because it's your first date, stupid," she thought to herself, walking out of the bathroom and heading downstairs. She had no idea why she was feeling nervous, especially since it was Blue she was going on a date with. She never felt nervous around Blue… Well, she'll admit she did a few times, but she can't find a reason to feel that way _now_. After all, she was very comfortable being around him. Maybe it was this waiting that was making her nervous._

"_So, you're going out with him," said her mother, catching Leaf by surprise. Leaf looked over to the couch, her mother staring intently at her. Her brown eyes analyzed Leaf's clothes before looking to the side instead._

"_If you mean Blue, then yes," said Leaf, ignoring her mother's earlier stare. "I'm kind of nervous but excited at the same time."_

"_Couldn't you wait for Red to return? Or is this a case of your hormones acting up?"_

"_What?"_

_Leaf furrowed her brows at her mom and was about to ask her what she was implying when there was a knock at the door, making Leaf jump in surprise. She ran over to the door, opening it and seeing Blue. Though, she wasn't expecting him to be dressed up._

"_You're wearing a suit," asked Leaf, looking at his black shoes and pants, the black jacket that looked like he put on hastily, the white button-up shirt, and green tie along with his silver pendant. Surprisingly, he was also carrying a bouquet of flowers over his shoulder._

"_Gramps wouldn't let me leave the house unless I wore this stupid getup," said Blue, tugging at the tie. "And this damn tie is killing me."_

_Leaf reached up and undid the tie, which Blue let her do. It hung loosely around his neck, and she undid the first two buttons of his shirt._

"_Better," she asked, tilting her head slightly._

"_Yeah," he replied, leaning his face close to hers so he could kiss her. Though, he would have if Leaf's mom didn't pick that moment to clear her throat and remind them of her presence. She got up, approaching the two of them._

"_These are for you," said Blue, giving Leaf the flowers. "Gramps is old-school, and he told me to go buy you flowers because that's 'what a gentleman does.'"_

"_Yes, since you have little experience in that area," said Clover, taking the flowers from Leaf. "I'll put these in a vase for you, Leaf."_

"_Um, Blue? You didn't have to get me flowers," said Leaf, blushing lightly. "Besides, I kind of think getting flowers for someone you love isn't the best thing to do because flowers die. It's like saying your love for that person will eventually die."_

"_Hey, it was Gramps' idea, not mine," explained Blue, shrugging. "I would have bought you a book since you like reading and stuff."_

_Leaf smiled at that, but it faded from her mom's next remark._

"_In that case, maybe he should keep buying flowers for you, Leaf," said Clover, fixing the bouquet that was now in a vase._

"_Maybe I should go buy you a box of tampons since you're PMS-ing a lot lately," said Leaf, gently pushing Blue out the door._

"_What did you say," demanded Clover as Leaf walked out the house and shut the door behind her. Leaf power-walked away, leading Blue away from her house._

"_Hey, Leaf," began Blue when they were a good distance away. "Where are you going?"_

_Leaf stopped, a look of realization on her face._

"_I don't know," she said bluntly since she really had no idea where she was going. Blue sighed but chuckled._

"_You just didn't want to stick around to get in trouble, right," he asked her, remembering what she told her mom moments earlier._

"_Well, yeah," replied Leaf, chuckling as well. "What I said wasn't the most polite thing to say to anyone."_

"_Still, it was kind of funny."_

"_It was. Um, Blue? Where are we going to go? You were the one who wanted to go out today."_

"_I was thinking of eating out, but if you want to do something else, we could do that, too."_

"_I don't mind as long as we get ice cream in the end."_

"_That's not really helping with what we want to do now. Hold on, did you eat anything before I picked you up?"_

"_Um…"_

_Leaf's eyes looked away from Blue, playing with her hands a bit. She ate lunch before getting ready to go out, so she was still kind of full from the earlier meal._

"_You did, didn't you," asked Blue, raising an eyebrow at her._

"_Yeah, I did. Sorry."_

"_There goes that plan. There's always a movie or whatever."_

"_Okay! That sounds like fun," said Leaf excitedly._

"_But we'll be going to Viridian City for that. I think your mom might show up out of nowhere and drag you away if we stick around in Pallet. Do you want to walk or fly over there?"_

"_Walking is good," she replied, hooking her arm around his. "Oh, but I need to stop by somewhere before we go. Is that okay?"_

"_Sure. Why not."_

_Leaf smiled as she led the way, which Blue soon realized was to Red's house. When they arrived, Leaf knocked on the door, waiting patiently for Hazel to answer. The door opened, Hazel smiling softly at the both of them._

"_Leaf, Blue. It's a pleasant surprise to see you both," said Hazel, an Eevee cuddling against her legs. "What brings you here?"_

"_Hi, Hazel," greeted Leaf, looking down at the Eevee who was now sniffing at Blue's pants. "I'm just checking if you need anything for Eevee."_

"_No, there's a lot of the food you brought, and I can't think of anything else he'll need since you bought all the supplies for me the other day."_

_Blue had crouched down to pet the Eevee, who really enjoyed that Blue was scratching behind his ears. Hazel chuckled at the sight, to which Blue quickly stood up, blushing lightly in embarrassment._

"_You like Eevee, Blue," she asked him as she picked up the small brown Pokémon._

"_I have my own back home," replied Blue, regaining his composure. "Leaf gave me an egg months ago, and it hatched into Eevee."_

"_Leaf, do you give everyone Eevee eggs?"_

"_Eh," began Leaf, surprised by that question. "I don't do that. I gave Blue the Eevee egg because I wanted to, and I gave one to you because—"_

"_Yes, I know Leaf. I was only teasing," laughed Hazel, shocking Leaf further. Hazel wasn't one to tease, or, at least, Leaf hasn't seen the teasing side of her._

"_You two are dressed up nicely today," continued Hazel, observing their clothes. "Is it some special occasion?"_

"_Yeah, Blue and I are going on a date," bluntly replied Leaf, grabbing Blue's arm. "We're going to see a movie over in Viridian."_

"_Really," asked Hazel, eyes lighting up in curiosity. "I had a feeling that you two might end up together, especially with how close you were as children."_

"_Try telling that to Leaf's mom," said Blue under his breath._

"_I'm sorry. I've been holding you up when you could be on that date of yours," said Hazel, now looking embarrassed. "Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to me."_

"_Of course," said Leaf, smiling at Hazel. "We'll see you later!"_

"_Later," said Blue, giving a wave._

"_Goodbye, and take care of yourselves," said Hazel, closing the door as they walked away._

"_That's something your mom should have been telling us," commented Blue when they were getting closer to Route 1._

"_I don't know what my mom's deal is," sighed Leaf. They walked through Route 1, Leaf occasionally glancing at Blue from the corner of her eye. She eventually started staring at him, her eyes wandering down to the silver pendant necklace he had been wearing since… She can't remember when. However, she knew that he never wore it before when they were kids._

"_What," he asked, noticing her staring._

"_Um, where did you get your necklace? I don't remember you wearing that before a couple years ago."_

"_It belonged to my dad," he replied, looking ahead. "Gramps had it but passed it on to my dad, and it was passed down to me after…"_

"_Oh, right," quietly said Leaf, looking down at the ground. She held his hand, hoping that the gesture would bring some comfort to him._

* * *

><p>"<em>That movie was horrible," yelled Leaf, running her hands through her hair out of frustration. "There were plot holes, a weak storyline, and mindless explosions and violence!"<em>

_She and Blue had just walked out of the theater after watching a two and half hour long action movie. From the looks of the other people who also watched the movie, they would wholeheartedly agree with her. Blue sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose at Leaf's complaints._

"_Look, I didn't know it was going to be that bad," explained Blue, frustrated as well. "The previews made it look like a good movie so don't get mad at me for it being terrible."_

"_I'm not mad at you! I'm mad at the people who made the movie! Those idiots don't know what they're doing!"_

"_You want to get that ice cream now," asked Blue, knowing that it would help distract her._

_Leaf sighed but nodded, Blue leading the way to the closest place that sold ice cream. They would have made it to the store quietly if the large hindrance known as Blue's new fangirls hadn't caught sight of him._

"_Is that Blue," yelled one, quickly getting the attention of the other four with her._

"_It is," screamed two of them as the others swooned dramatically. The group ran toward Blue and Leaf, much like Volbeat to an Illumise._

"_Blue, can we have an autograph," said one girl as the others quickly dug through their purses for something to get autographed._

"_Yeah, sure," said Blue, accepting the girl's slip of paper and pen. He didn't think he could refuse since he really liked the attention he was getting. It made him feel very important, not that he wasn't._

"_Wow, Blue, you look great in a suit," said another girl, admiring his clothes._

"_Well, I had to wear this since it's a special day today," replied Blue smugly, writing his signature on the last of the autographs._

"_And what's that?"_

"_A date."_

"_Aw," said the girls with disappointment._

"_But, where is she," asked one, which Blue thought was a strange question to ask._

"_She's right here," said Blue, looking to his left. However, Leaf was no longer there, and he quickly glanced around for where she had disappeared to._

"_I think she ditched you," said a girl with an accusing tone. "Oh, if things don't work out with her, maybe you can give me a call?"_

"_No, he's going to call me," argued another girl._

"_No, it's me! I'll be a better girlfriend than all of you put together," yelled another._

"_As if! I'm definitely his type!"_

_As the fangirls began to yell and argue, Blue wandered off to look for Leaf. He mentally sighed, knowing that Leaf must have left because of his fangirls. But, it wasn't his fault that he attracted a lot of attention from most of the female population of Viridian City. Then again, being how Leaf is, it'd be understandable that she'd get uncomfortable from that. And she wasn't one to bring in a swarm of guys that—_

_That thought was cut off when Blue spotted Leaf further down the street, talking with three other guys. One of them said something he couldn't hear, which Leaf laughed at. Why was she talking to them when she could talk to him? He was much better than those three combined. He approached and hugged her from behind, which startled Leaf._

"_Oh, hi, Blue," she said with a laugh._

"_What are you doing," he asked her, his eyes glancing from her to the three guys that seemed a little awkward about what was going on._

"_Just talking to these guys," said Leaf, pointing at them. "They're thinking of making a 'Trainer House', where the best trainers can gather together. I was giving them some battle tips that they could use."_

"_You have really good strategies," said one of the guys, who looked like an Ace Trainer. "I'm surprised you're not a trainer anymore. When the Trainer House is up, could you give us a demonstration? We'd really like to see how you battle."_

"_Sure thing! I think my Pokémon would like a good battle after so long."_

"_Great! See you later, Leaf," they said, walking away. Leaf waved at them and then looked up Blue._

"_They're really nice, aren't they," she asked him with an innocent tone._

"_Tch… I can take all three of them on in a battle," he replied, not too impressed. "And why'd you leave?"_

"_You looked busy with your fans so I wanted to kill a little time. That's when I ran into those guys. They were asking for donations to build the Trainer House, and I gave them some money."_

"_But you kept talking to them."_

"_We were only talking about battling. There's nothing weird about that. Oh, and I found an ice cream place just ahead."_

_She pulled away from his hug, walking to the ice cream parlor. She stopped and waited for Blue to walk with her, which he did after a little thinking. He should have known that Leaf wouldn't be the jealous type, or have any feelings of jealousy except probably toward those who were much taller than her. Since he was growing taller, it seemed like she was shrinking, but she was just stuck at her current height. He doubted she'd get any taller, especially since she was already sixteen._

_They went inside the parlor, which had a few people sitting at the tables eating ice cream cones and scoops of it in little cups. Leaf got two scoops of mint chocolate-chip ice cream in a cup as Blue ordered two scoops of pralines and cream. Blue paid for their ice cream, and Leaf picked a table for them to sit together. However, Blue's Pokégear began to ring before he could eat, excusing himself as he took the call outside. Leaf started to eat her own ice cream, albeit slowly since she wanted to eat with Blue. The door of the parlor, which had a little bell that rang whenever someone entered the building, opened, familiar chattering filling the room. Leaf recognized those voices, remembering the fangirls from before._

"_Oh, so _you're_ the one Blue is dating," said one of the girls, approaching Leaf. They gathered around her, their eyes picking apart Leaf's appearance._

"_What, exactly, does he see in you," asked the same girl._

"_Um, well," began Leaf but was caught off when she felt a small tug from her hair._

"_You don't even do anything with your hair," said the second girl. "What? You can't afford to go to a salon?"_

"_I guess she can't afford makeup either," a third girl added. "A little mascara or eyeliner wouldn't kill you."_

"_At least she has some sense of fashion," criticized the fourth girl. "But it's not much to write home about. Do you shop at those discount stores?"_

"_I'm guessing Blue is just dating you because he feels sorry for you," laughed the fifth girl. "I mean, you're kind of on the large side, if you know what I mean."_

_Leaf just stared at her ice cream at a loss for words. She took a deep breath, imagining what Blue would do if he was in this kind of situation. A smirk then appeared on her lips as she stood up from her seat._

"_Oh, please," said Leaf, arrogance obvious in her voice. "At least my body has bigger breasts, something all of you are lacking in."_

_She quickly pointed at their chests, the smirk never leaving her face._

"_Also, I'm a natural beauty," continued Leaf, putting her hands on her hips. "That's why there's no need for me to use makeup or style my hair. If I wasn't, I don't think I would get Blue's attention. If anything, he's the one who should feel lucky to even date me. When I was a trainer, I beat that guy down when he was Champion, but I let him keep the title. Not only that, but I also got rid of Team Rocket from the Silph Co. building months ago. I'm not a trainer anymore, but I work under Professor Oak as his assistant, and I do my own research. What have the five of you accomplished besides being Blue's fangirls?"_

"_We, um—"_

"_Exactly! Nothing! So why don't you all just leave and let the two ex-Champions enjoy their date, okay? It's annoying to have screeching Mankey following us around."_

_Leaf stared them down, daring them to say anything else. The girls were all speechless, but they huffed angrily as they walked away, leaving the parlor. Leaf smirked, sitting back down in her seat. However, the smirk quickly disappeared as she covered her face with her hands._

"_I'm so horrible," she said in a low voice. "Why did I say all those things?"_

"_Leaf, you all right," asked Blue, causing Leaf to look up in surprise._

"_Um, yeah," she replied, watching him sit down across from her. She suddenly felt awkward to be around him since she mimicked his old personality moments ago. Really, she felt foolish to act in such a way when she could have handled the situation differently. Just because they insulted her first didn't mean she had to insult them back. She began to wonder how Blue always did this whenever he was insulted. Then again, he was different from her._

"_Um, who was calling you," asked Leaf, eating a spoonful of ice cream._

"_Daisy," replied Blue, eating his slightly melted ice cream. "She wants me to pick up some groceries later."_

"_Just wondering but are you having fun, Blue? I don't want you to be bored or anything."_

"_Yeah, I'm good, even though that movie sucked."_

"_Ugh, don't remind me."_

_As they ate their ice cream, they talked about how awful that movie was, laughing at the scenes that made little sense._

* * *

><p><em>It was nightfall, Blue and Leaf finally heading back to Pallet Town. After finishing their ice cream, they wandered around Viridian City. Occasionally, they had to go to Viridian Gym because there was a challenger that wanted to battle Blue. Leaf watched the battles, reminiscing of the time Blue battled for her when they explored the Sevii Islands together. She had to admit that he was a great trainer, working hard to be the best. Leaf sighed happily, resting her head against Blue's arm as they walked through Route 1 again.<em>

"_Hey, Leaf," began Blue, Leaf glancing up at him. "Did you say something to my fans earlier today? I saw them leave the parlor and they didn't bother screaming about me."_

"_Um, just some comebacks," replied Leaf, feeling ashamed of what she had told them. They were now entering Pallet Town, stepping out of the tall grass of the route._

"_Comebacks? They were talking shit about you or something?"_

"_A little, but I stood up for myself. You have to fight fire with fire. Wait, it would be easier to fight fire with water…"_

_Leaf trailed off, letting go of Blue as she began to overthink the metaphor. They both stopped walking, Blue staring at her with amusement._

"_So, what was one of your comebacks? Tell me the funniest one," he said, curious of what she told his fans._

"_Uh, I said that I had a bigger chest than them," said Leaf, playing with the strap of her purse out of nervousness. "I didn't know what I was thinking when I said that. I mean, my breasts aren't that big, right?"_

"_I don't know. Let me stare at them and check."_

_Leaf suddenly blushed, turning around and covering herself up with her arms._

"_Pervert," she muttered, hearing him laugh. _

"_I was only kidding," he said, hugging her from behind. "Even I know that it's too soon for that."_

_Leaf quietly sighed, relaxing and looking up at him with a smile. She was starting to love these embraces he gave her, warm embraces that she doubted many people knew about. He lowered his head closer to hers, placing a kiss on her forehead. Leaf giggled, turning around and standing on her tiptoes. He understood what she was trying to do, hugging her again as she grabbed his jacket to pull him closer to her. He bent down, their lips meeting in a gentle kiss. Leaf pulled away, blushing madly._

"_I'm not used to doing that," she said, letting go of his jacket._

"_You will, eventually. I'll make sure of it," he said with a smirk, Leaf's face getting redder. She took a step back from his hug, taking his hand in her own. They continued their walk back home, sharing another kiss when Blue dropped her off at her porch. She waved to him as he headed home, feeling ecstatic about the day she had. She stepped inside her house, surprised to see her mom still up. Clover was sitting on the couch, reading a book. She placed the book down when Leaf came in, giving her daughter a disapproving look._

"_Leaf, it's already almost midnight," she said, her voice stern._

"_I have a curfew," asked Leaf, raising an eyebrow at her mom._

"_Well, I was going to tell you what time I wanted you home, but then you gave that comment of yours before leaving."_

"_Oh… I didn't know that."_

"_And why did you get here so late? You weren't doing anything _too_ intimate with Blue, were you?"_

"_Intimate?" Leaf thought about it for a moment, recalling the kisses earlier. "We only kissed and hugged."_

"_I see. In any case, for being late and that disrespectful comment you gave me earlier, I'm going to have you grounded for a week. I don't appreciate this behavior of yours, and I don't want you seeing Blue until the week is done."_

_Leaf sighed, walking away and heading upstairs to her room. It didn't bother her too much because today was definitely worth getting grounded over. Besides, if her mom really thought that Leaf would stay away from Blue for a week, she didn't understand her daughter very well._

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: Sometimes, when I get really bored, I find stupid stuff on the Internet. Watermelon sharks is one of those stupid things. But, I think they're cool. Agh, Voltorb Flip distracted me so much as I wrote this chapter. Getting distracted by the golden saucer really hinders your adventuring. I feel bad for Lyra that her game got messed up thanks to Ethan. Never interfere with her games. I'd let her get Dratini, but Extremespeed Dratini is 20% cooler. Dear Arceus, Whitney's Miltank. That thing made me rage-quit my old Silver game so many times as a kid. Not this time, Whitney. You went down thanks to Lyra's harem-like team. Haha, I think that if Lyra were to read this story, she'd say that it's a mix between shonen and shojo manga, minus the great art that I can't draw. Oh, jeez, I made the flashbacks so fluffy, it'd give Mareep a run for its money. Anyway, thank you all for reading and reviewing! And, yes, I will keep thanking you because of reasons._**


	9. Pokeathlon!

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 1: The First Steps

In Goldenrod's Pokémon Center, Ethan stared at his Pokégear, a sigh escaping his lips as he dialed his mother's number. Bayleef looked up at him with worry, wondering what was making his trainer so anxious. He wondered what she had thought about as the Pokégear rang, leaning against the west wall of the room. To his surprise, she didn't pick up. He called her again, hoping she'd answer so he could talk to her. At the second ring, she finally answered.

"Hello," she asked, her voice calm.

"Hey, mom," he began, relieved to hear her. "I'm just wondering but—"

"Ethan, I'm sorry."

"Er, what?"

He was a little confused as to why she was apologizing. No, that was an understatement. His mind couldn't process that she was _apologizing_. She was never one to apologize first, or even attempt to do so.

"I said that I'm sorry," she repeated, unaware of Ethan's minor mental breakdown. "I did a lot of thinking and I realized… I'll lose you, too, if I keep up with what I'm doing. But, Ethan, I want you to understand that what I did was so I can give you the best. I just wanted you to have a better life than I did. I guess I've been trying too hard to be a good mother for you that I ended up pushing you away." She chuckled, but it was half-hearted. "That's something I should be telling your father."

"Mom, you don't have to beat yourself up too hard," joked Ethan, heading out the door of the Pokémon Center with Bayleef following him.

"I know, but I can't believe it's taken me this long, after everything that's happened, to notice my mistakes."

"At least you did notice and admit to it. Not many people can do that. What matters is what you're going to do _now_ that you have caught your mistakes."

"What I'm going to do…"

She trailed off, obviously in thought. Ethan stopped walking, standing in the middle of the sidewalk as people walked around him.

"I'll support you," she replied, her tone a little more upbeat. "It's all I can do while you're away."

"Thanks. I'll call you once in a while and visit when I can."

"Please, be safe. I don't want anything happening to you."

"Okay," chuckled Ethan, spotting Lyra who was leaving the gym. "I'll talk to you later. Bye."

He hung up, putting away his Pokégear, and walked up to Lyra and her Quagsire.

"Lyra! Did you get the badge from Whitney," asked Ethan, catching the girl by surprise.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I did," replied Lyra, grinning proudly. "Voltage and Cascade did their best and pulled through. It was kind of tough, but nothing they couldn't handle."

"You defeated Whitney," said a voice, obviously feminine. Both Ethan and Lyra turned to see a girl wearing a pink blouse and blue pants walk up to them. She appeared to be older than them and had her brown hair done up in a ponytail, a cosmos flower with the scrunchie.

"I did, too," said Ethan, taking advantage of the moment to impress the girl. "She wasn't so tough."

"Is that so," asked the girl, smiling gently. "I hear there's an odd tree on Route 36. They say it dances when you water it. Since you two are such great trainers, maybe you can do something about the tree? If you come with me to the flower shop, I'll give you a Squirtbottle each."

"Sure," said Lyra, smiling happily. "That's really nice of you."

Ethan and Lyra followed the girl to the nearby flower shop, waiting outside for the items they needed to deal with the strange tree. After a few minutes, the girl returned, carrying two Squirtle-shaped watering cans. She gave one two the both of them.

"This should help with the tree," she explained, watching them put away the new items. "Be careful out there."

"Okay! C'mon, Lyra! Ecruteak City is the next place we have to get to," said Ethan, walking toward the north gate of Goldenrod City.

"Wait up," yelled Lyra, quickly switching out her Quagsire for her Noctowl. She ran after Ethan, Zephyr flying as fast as she could to keep up with her trainer. After passing through the gate, they arrived in Route 35, which was mainly a dirt road with fences on the borders. A small lake was nearby and tall grass on the outskirts of the fences. As usual, this route had a couple trainers around, waiting for a challenger. The duo split up to face the other trainers, which helped bring in some much needed money. As they moved through the route, Lyra noticed that the gate at the end of the road was larger than the other gates she's been through.

She looked away from the gate to focus on her current battle, which was against a Juggler named Irwin. He was down to his last Pokémon, which were all Voltorb, and it was defeated by Cascade's Mud Shot. Lyra returned Cascade to her pokéball as the Juggler began to pay her the prize money.

"You're the best I've ever battled," he commented, Lyra blushing from the compliment. "What's your name?"

"Oh, um, Lyra," she replied, playing with her hair.

"Lyra… Hey! Are you the one who saved all the Slowpoke in Azalea?"

"You know about that?"

"Everyone does! And it's no wonder I couldn't beat you! Would it be okay to get your number?"

"Sure, I don't mind."

They exchanged numbers, Lyra now realizing her growing list of contacts in her Pokégear.

"Great," said Irwin excitedly. "I'm not going to miss anything you do from now on!"

"Uh, all right," said Lyra, walking away. She began to question if it was a mistake to give him her number since his comment sounded a little creepy. Aside from a potential stalker, Lyra also received numbers from a Firebreather and a Bug-Catcher in the same route. She had no idea where Ethan had disappeared to, but she figured he wasn't too far away. For the time being, she'll wait for him inside the nearby gate. However, once she walked through the doorway, she found him talking to a guard nearby.

"So, you're saying that I'll get an awesome prize if I win first place," he asked the guard, who nodded. "Sign me up! I'm going to win this thing!"

"What are you signing up for, Ethan," asked Lyra as she approached him.

"A Bug-Catching Contest," replied Ethan, sending out his Flaaffy while handing the guard the pokéballs of his other Pokémon. "You have to catch a really strong bug Pokémon with only one of your Pokémon. You want to join me, Lyra?"

"No way! I'd rather have a Spinarak thrown at me than to be in that contest!"

"Then I guess you can check out the Pokéathlon Dome while I'm in the contest. It's so you're not bored and stuff."

Ethan pointed to the door at the far end of the gate, which reminded Lyra of what Whitney told her not too long ago.

"It definitely sounds more fun than catching bug Pokémon," said Lyra, trying not to think about the Bug-Catching Contest. "I'll be over there, then! If the contest finishes sooner, meet me at the dome, okay?"

"You got it. Good luck over there," said Ethan, walking through the doorway to the National Park as Lyra walked down the hall to the other exit. There was a long straight road that lead right to the Pokéathlon Dome, which was a very large and impressive building. Since she was too distracted looking at the building, Lyra wasn't aware of an old man in a blue coat running straight toward her, a Poliwrath following him. Zephyr grabbed hold of Lyra's overalls with her beak, pulling her to the side to avoid a possible collision. The gesture almost made the Noctowl's trainer fall over from the sudden pull.

"Impressive," said the man in the blue coat, now walking to Lyra. "Your Pokémon pulled you away because it thought you would get hurt… That is true friendship! Your Noctowl is quite a Pokémon!"

Lyra looked over at Zephyr, who quickly turned her head away and stared at the trees nearby.

"I do my best to train her," said Lyra, thinking that Zephyr must be embarrassed.

"I think she's ready to participate in the Pokéathlon! Your solidarity with and trust of Pokémon makes me believe in infinite potential! Please, follow me!"

The old man walked away, heading for the dome as Lyra followed. He stopped before the glass doors, turning around and smiling at Lyra.

"What do you think," he asked proudly. "This is the Pokéathlon Dome! Pokéathlon is a sports festival for trainers and Pokémon. Inside the dome are various challenges awaiting trainers and Pokémon to test their friendship. Why don't you try it?"

"That's pretty much why I came over here. But thanks for explaining the Pokéathlon to me," said Lyra, gazing at the dome.

"You have a lot of potential. It makes me glad that I held the Pokéathlon here in Johto."

"Um, I didn't get your name."

"Oh, it's Magnus," he said, stepping inside the dome. "We'll meet again. See you, young Pokéathlete!"

Lyra felt rather nervous about participating in the Pokéathlon, but it wouldn't be very fun to just sit around and watch. She took a deep breath to calm herself and was about to take a step toward the dome when a dreadful voice stopped her.

"Hey, dumbass," said her Pokédex from her bag. "You should use me to look at your Pokémon."

"Why should I do that," asked Lyra, taking the machine out. However, when she opened it and checked her Pokémon's information, she saw that a new page has been added to show their speed, power, skill, stamina, and jump abilities.

"I bet you didn't know I could show you your Pokémon's Pokéathlon stats! Really, even I can't stop amazing myself," said her Pokédex.

Lyra ignored her Pokédex, instead looking at the stats of her Pokémon. It seemed that Zephyr, Cynder, and Voltage shared a decent jumping ability. Maybe she should enter her Pokémon in that event. Lyra entered the building, wondering what the events would be like for Pokémon with jumping abilities. A room with glowing black tiles and strange light pillars decorating the room is what she was greeted to. Since she had no idea where to go, she walked up to the middle counter.

"Lyra," yelled a familiar voice, causing Lyra to turn and see Whitney.

"Hi, Whitney," said Lyra, amazed to see the gym leader so soon.

"Hey," greeted Whitney, quickly fixing up her white shirt. "Are you here for the Pokéathlon?"

"Yeah, I thought I'd try it out."

"Me, too! I've been so excited since its construction. It's close to Goldenrod City, you know?"

"Uh, yeah. You told me earlier."

Whitney suddenly jumped back in shock, surprising Lyra as well. At first, Lyra thought it was because Whitney couldn't believe she forgot she told Lyra about the Pokéathlon Dome. Although, that idea went flying out the window when the gym leader began to point at Lyra's outfit. Did she realize that Lyra was actually cosplaying?

"Were you going to participate in the Pokéathlon looking like that," asked Whitney in disbelief.

"You mean the Pokéathlon doesn't allow you to cosplay?"

"I have no idea what that is, but what I do know is that you're not prepared! So…" Whitney brought a hand to her chin, staring thoughtfully at Lyra. "Are you a medium or a small? Hm, you look more like a medium."

Lyra pulled at her pigtail, feeling a little uncomfortable that Whitney was making guesses about her size from the way she looked.

"Okay! I'll get you a jersey that suits you. You want to look your best if you're going to participate in the Pokéathlon, don't you," said Whitney, walking away from the counter. "Stay here! I'll be right back!"

Lyra waited, looking up at the monitors to see the current events that were taking place. Some Pokémon were doing very well, which made Lyra wonder if her Pokémon will pose a challenge or not to them. After about ten minutes, Whitney returned with a white plastic shopping bag. She opened it up and handed a jersey and matching pants to Lyra.

"Here you go," said Whitney, folding up the bag. "This is just right for you!"

"Wow," said Lyra, holding up the jersey to look at it. "Thanks, Whitney. It's really nice of you to get me this."

"Go to the restroom and try it on! I want to see how you'll look in them!"

Whitney began to gently push Lyra to the public restroom, obviously eager to see Lyra's new outfit. Zephyr merely followed, not understanding what was going on. In the restroom, Lyra entered an empty stall and changed out of her clothes, putting on the jersey and pants Whitney bought. It fit comfortably, and Lyra really liked how she looked in them. She stepped out of the stall, both Whitney and Zephyr looking up. Zephyr had an indifferent expression, but Whitney grinned, giving Lyra a thumbs-up.

"You look perfect," she said as they walked out of the restroom. "Now that you are ready, I will—Wait! Where are my Pokémon?"

Whitney patted her hands on the trainer belt around her blue shorts and gasped that there weren't any pokéballs clipped to it.

"Agh, I left them at the gym," she sighed in frustration. "I have to go back. See ya!"

Lyra waved at Whitney as she left the dome, and then walked back to the counter she was at a few minutes earlier. The receptionist, who looked eerily similar to the nurses in the Pokémon Centers, smiled politely at Lyra when she stood in front of the counter.

"Welcome," greeted the receptionist, taking out a clipboard with a form on it. "This is the reception for admission. Will you try the Pokéathlon?"

"Yes, please," replied Lyra, her heart pounding with nervousness and excitement.

"Please tell me your name and which course you would like to join."

"My name's Lyra and I want to join the Jump Course."

The receptionist quickly filled out the form, and it was difficult for Lyra to see what, exactly, she was writing. When she was done, she took off the form and placed it on a small pile of other filled-out forms.

"Step this way, please," she said, opening a small door to the side. "The event will begin shortly. Pick which of your Pokémon will participate in the next room."

Lyra picked out Zephyr, Cynder, and Voltage's pokéballs, hoping that they'll do well in the event. She left her other Pokémon with another receptionist before stepping outside to the stadium. Here, she was directed to where the event was being held, joining up with three other participants. There was a stage with a microphone and a familiar man standing on it. At first, Lyra thought it was Primo, the man Ethan got an autograph from in Violet City. Closer inspection showed that he was an entirely different person.

"Welcome to the Pokéathlon," he began, his voice loud and clear. "I am Maximo, and I will be your announcer! Today's event is the Jump Course! Who will shine brightest today? Let's meet the competitors!"

Lyra glanced behind her, seeing the Pokémon that belonged to the other participants.

"Strength isn't everything," continued Maximo. "Strategy is another important factor to success! Team Lyra has Zephyr, Cynder, and Voltage! Why can you jump that high? Simple, it's because it's all you can do. Team Mendel has Magikarp, Goldeen, and Remoraid!"

Lyra thought it was kind of funny to see the fish Pokémon flopping around behind their trainer, but she knew it was best to not underestimate the opponent.

"Jump to victory! Jump to the other side of victory! Team Pia has Farfetch'd, Pidgey, and Spearow! I can fly with these Pokémon so far! Over the rainbow! Team Krise has Ledyba, Spinarak, and Paras!"

Lyra shuddered upon hearing the final three Pokémon, suddenly regretting to join this event.

"All right, we're ready," announced Maximo, the people in the stadium cheering. "Aim for the top! Let's Pokéathlon!"

The first event was the Lamp Jump, which Lyra was unfamiliar with. She quickly read up on the rules to understand what had to be done. It seemed fairly simple, but the other competitors made her a little nervous if they would do much better. Her Pokémon did their best to touch the lit up lamps, occasionally crashing into one another. However, in this event, they ended up in last place. Though Lyra thought it was a lot of fun, Voltage was very annoyed that they lost and was more annoyed by the fact that the one she crashed into the most was Cynder. Not that Cynder was bothered by it.

The next event was Disc Catch, which reminded Lyra of catching Frisbees in school. She was kind of bad at it, but she was sure that her Pokémon would do much better. Zephyr did a lot of catching, Cynder caught whatever disc flew toward him as he stood in a spot away from the other Pokémon, and Voltage aggressively pushed the other Pokémon so she could catch the discs. Lyra was amazed that her Pokémon won first place in this event, which made her very happy and proud of them.

The final event was Hurdle Dash, an event that worried Lyra since she doubted that her Pokémon specialized in speed. She could only cross her fingers as her Pokémon raced through the track and jumped over the hurdles. They occasionally crashed into the hurdles, but they quickly pulled through and continued running. Zephyr made it in first, Cynder in fourth, and Voltage in tenth, which frustrated the Flaaffy. Though, speed never was her forte.

"Good job, guys," said Lyra, congratulating her Pokémon by petting them. "We had a rough start, but I think we made up for it!"

She led her Pokémon back to where the stage was, waiting for everyone else to join. When everyone had gathered, Maximo walked to the stage, tapping on the microphone to get their attention.

"Great job, athletes," began Maximo, the audience cheering. "Which team fought the hardest? We've got the results! But first… Who's overflowing with fighting spirit? A challenge bonus for Pokémon and team!"

Lyra watched as her screen showed 32 points, which she realized was the least compared to everyone else.

"Thirty-two points for Team Lyra! Forty-four points for Team Mendel! Forty points for Team Pia! Thirty-nine points for Team Krise! Continuing on, the individual prizes… There wasn't one this time. Moving on… The points leader! Team Krise's Ledyba! Next up… The prize for effort! The Pokémon that hit the most… Team Mendel's Magikarp!"

Lyra heard Voltage huff at that, and she looked over her shoulder to see the Flaaffy looking away from all the other Pokémon. She had no idea that Voltage was growing more aggravated by these losses.

"Finally," continued Maximo, clearing his throat. "We'll add up the event points!"

Lyra watched as the points began to add up on her screen, crossing her fingers in hopes of winning. However, when she looked over at the other screens, she knew who the winner was.

"The overall winner, with 315 points… Team Krise," announced Maximo with excitement.

Lyra clapped with everyone else for the winner, confetti sprinkling down from above. Though she came in second place, Lyra was happy that she and her Pokémon had a lot of fun in the event. But, she couldn't speak for Voltage, who was sulking from this loss. Lyra led her Pokémon out of the stadium as the winner received her medal and returned them to their pokéballs when she was back in the lobby.

"Good job," said the receptionist while Lyra made her way to the front of the counter. "You will receive Athlete Points based on your score. This time, Lyra's score was 293! Earned 293 points!"

The receptionist scanned a plastic red card and handed it to Lyra, who put it away in her bag.

"That card is where all your Athlete Points will be stored," explained the receptionist. "You can use the points to buy special items for sale at the counter to your right. Please visit us again next time!"

Lyra nodded and walked over to the restroom to change back into her regular clothes. After changing, she stuffed her jersey into her bag and walked out, heading outside to see if Ethan was done with the Bug-Catching Contest. When she was out in the fresh afternoon air, she saw a middle-aged man, who was balding at the top of his head, wearing a white shirt and brown pants. What really got her attention was the camera around his neck.

"Excuse me," said Lyra, walking up to him. "Are you—"

"Hello! Just when you least expect it! I am Cameron the Photographer," said the man, quickly grabbing his camera. "You look so photogenic! Why not have a picture taken?"

"Um, okay."

Lyra sent out the rest of her Pokémon to take a picture with her. After a few moments, Cameron took the picture, which came out of the camera. He quickly waved the photograph in the air before giving it to Lyra, who saw the image slowly show up.

"Good, good," said Cameron excitedly. "We've got a nice picture!"

Before Lyra could thank him, Cameron already walked away, taking random pictures of whatever was around. She decided to head back to the gate down the road, hoping that the Bug-Catching Contest was over. Back in the gate, she couldn't find Ethan there, so it was assumed that he was in the National Park. She walked on the paved road, looking around for Ethan. She eventually found him standing in front of a large fountain that was in the middle of the park.

"Ethan," called out Lyra, running up to him. "How did you do?"

"I freaking sucked," said Ethan flatly. "Or so they tell me. I spend almost fifteen minutes looking for a strong, rare Pokémon, and I eventually find a Pinsir. I tried really hard to have Flaaffy weaken it so I can catch it."

"But, you didn't catch it?"

"No, I did catch it. Thing is, when our time was up and the judges checked our Pokémon, the guy who caught a Metapod won. All I got as a prize was a stupid Sitrus Berry. So, how'd you do in the Pokéathlon?"

"Oh, I got second place. We were really close, too, but it's okay because we had fun."

"Well, we should probably head on to Ecruteak. We're kind of getting distracted with this, but it's better than Voltorb Flip."

"What are you talking about? Voltorb Flip is the best!"

As they argued about the great distraction that is Voltorb Flip, they walked over to the east gate of the National Park, heading to Route 36. The route only had two other trainers there, along with a large patch of tall grass. Ethan found and caught a Growlithe that was in said tall grass, saying that he needed a Fire-type in his team. Lyra couldn't find anything cute to add to her own team. There were also Vulpix, which she thought were adorable, but she already had Cynder as her main Fire-type. She hoped to add another cute Pokémon soon since Ethan's team was larger than hers.

"Bolly! What an exquisite Growlithe," commented Ethan's Pokédex from his backpack. "Such a magnificent beast deserves an equally fitting nickname, wouldn't you say?"

"I guess," said Ethan with a shrug. "But until I come up with one, we'll just not give him a nickname for now."

At the end of the route, a brown-haired girl wearing a white dress with red rose patterns on it stood in front of a strange-looking tree. She stared at it with bewilderment and curiosity, not quite sure how to deal with the odd tree. She noticed Ethan and Lyra approaching, turning to them happily in hopes that they would help her.

"Hello," she began politely, smiling gently. "I'm the Flower Shop's Floria. I heard about this weird tree and came here to check it out. I'm positive that it's a Pokémon because it jumped up when I sprinkled water on it!"

"A Pokémon," asked Lyra, wondering what kind of Pokémon it was.

"That makes a lot of sense," said Ethan, looking over to the tree Pokémon. "Good thing we got the Squirtbottles in Goldenrod."

"Squirtbottles," said Floria in confusion, but quickly understood what he was talking about. "In that case, could you water the tree for me? I'd like to see what happens."

"For you, baby, I'd do anything."

"I'm already working on it," yelled Lyra, looking over her shoulder as she watered the tree with her Squirtbottle.

"Aw, Lyra! Why couldn't you wait and let me handle it?"

"'Cause I already knew that the tree had to be watered. It's not my fault you're too slow and easily distracted by girls."

"Lyra, watch out!"

Zephyr pulled at Lyra's overalls, causing her to fall back as the tree Pokémon slammed a branch-like arm on the ground where she was previously standing. Lyra quickly got up and switched out Zephyr with Voltage.

"Use Thunder Wave," ordered Lyra as Voltage stepped in front of her trainer.

"That's not going to work," said Ethan, who was now standing to the side by Lyra. "I heard that thing is like a rock. That means that it's definitely a Rock-type, and those types usually have immunity to electric attacks."

However, Voltage's Thunder Wave successfully paralyzed the odd tree Pokémon, but it didn't stop it from using Flail.

"You were saying," asked Lyra to Ethan. "Voltage, use Thundershock!"

"Oh, shit. It worked. But, that means… It must be a pure Rock-type," mused Ethan, watching the Flaaffy attack with Thundershock as the tree Pokémon's paralysis hindered it from retaliating. Voltage quickly followed up with another Thundershock, seeing that the opponent's paralysis was working in her favor. Lyra threw a pokéball at the strange Pokémon since it was weakened, its body drawn into the ball. The ball fell on the floor, shaking back and forth until it clicked.

"All right! I caught it," said Lyra excitedly, running up to the ball and picking it up.

"What was that Pokémon," asked Floria, joining them.

"Let's see…" Lyra took out her Pokédex, checking the new page of information on the recently caught Pokémon. "It's a Sudowoodo, a Rock-type Pokémon."

"It doesn't have a second type," asked Ethan, looking over Lyra's shoulder to see the info on Sudowoodo.

"Nope. It really is a pure Rock-type!"

"I'd like to thank you both for coming all the way here to help me," said Floria, walking over to where two large, brown paper bags were lying on the ground. She picked them up and handed one bag to each of them.

"Those are Berry Pots," she explained as Ethan and Lyra took them out and examined them. "You'll be able to grow any berry from any region with no worries! I put a small bag of berries inside, too, so you can start growing new berries. It'd be pointless to have Berry Pots with no berries, right?"

"It's like having a Wii but with no games to play," agreed Lyra, putting away the new gifts in her bag.

"Exactly! Remember to water the berries from time to time when they're growing. You'll have more berries that way. Well, I have to go back to Goldenrod. Are you heading for Ecruteak?"

"Yeah, the next gym is there," replied Ethan, zipping up his backpack after putting away his own Berry Pots.

"It's just north from here. Drop by the Flower Shop whenever you're in Goldenrod!"

Floria walked away, heading toward the National Park. Ethan and Lyra continued on, walking on the grassy path that wove through the trees. It didn't take long for them to make it to Route 37, and a very tall tower in Ecruteak was clearly visible from where they were. It was no wonder that Ethan told Lyra that Goldenrod and Ecruteak had some of the tallest buildings. And that was just Johto. Lyra couldn't imagine any other buildings taller than the one she could see in Ecruteak. A couple trainers slowed them down, but they eventually passed through the gate to the city.

A Pokémon Center was located fairly close to the gate, and Lyra and Ethan's Pokémon needed to be healed after all the hard battling they endured on the way. Inside, a brown-haired man in a long-sleeved white button-up shirt and blue pants stood in front of the counter. He and the nurse were talking about some subject or other. When the duo approached from behind, the nurse peered over, gesturing the man to look back.

"Hi, I'm Bill," he greeted upon seeing Lyra and Ethan. "And who are you?"

"I'm Ethan, and this is Lyra," replied Ethan, pointing at himself and Lyra respectively.

"Hm, Ethan and Lyra, huh? Just wondering, but do you know who created the Pokémon Storage System for Kanto and Johto?"

"Isn't it some nerd who's obsessed with Pokémon? What was his name? Bob? Something like that."

"Actually, it's Bill… Me."

"And it's a great system you created! Right, Lyra? It's because of you that we can catch Pokémon and help Professor Elm and Oak with their research," quickly added Ethan, trying to save himself from the insult he unintentionally directed to Bill.

"Ah, well, it couldn't have been done by me alone," explained Bill, quite flattered by Ethan's compliments. "For example, in the Hoenn region, this girl Lanette made the Pokémon Storage System easier to use. I have friends all over the world who are working together to improve the Pokémon trade and storage systems."

"That sounds like a lot of work," said Lyra, wondering about the other regions. "But it's certainly helping everybody."

"That it is! I'm afraid that I must be going now. I have to hurry on back to Goldenrod and see my folks. Bye!"

Lyra and Ethan watched Bill leave the Pokémon Center before handing their Pokémon to the nurse for healing. Now that they've arrived in a new city, they were eager to see the sights that Ecruteak had to offer. Of course, one of the most important sights was the gym, which Ethan wanted to see after their Pokémon healed. After receiving their healed Pokémon, they walked out of the Pokémon Center to head over to the gym, which was nearby. However, they had only taken a few steps when they heard a woman's scream. Ethan and Lyra exchanged glances before rushing off in the direction of the scream, and that turned out to be in the dance theater just behind the Pokémon Center.

* * *

><p>"<em>Well, it's official," sighed Leaf, watching the commercials on her television. "This has been the most boring week of my life. I kind of forgot how much being grounded sucks."<em>

_Static, her Raichu, gave her a look as if she were insane. Then again, Static always loved to sit back and relax. In fact, sleeping was his favorite activity, something he'd do all the time if he could. Leaf, on the other hand, felt that this was all torture by keeping her in the house._

"_I have to do a lot of researching and write reports for Professor Oak to make up for this," she said to her Togetic, who was sitting beside her on the rug. Leaf was so bored that she even watched the late night news since there weren't any other good programs to watch. Though, tonight's broadcast was interesting since one of the reports was on Cycling Road. The sea levels around the road were rising, flooding it. It wasn't a lot of water, but it hindered bicycles from riding smoothly. Celadon and Fuchsia City are considering on building an efficient bridge to keep the cyclists and tourists they get._

_There was also the news on Pokémon Tower being remodeled to become Kanto's Radio Tower since the Pokégear was growing quickly in popularity. Mr. Fuji was in charge of moving the graves to a nearby memorial site. Leaf felt uneasy watching this piece of news, but she found the whole thing to be a little disturbing. The abandoned Power Plant near Lavender Town, the building where Leaf found and caught the legendary Zapdos, was being remodeled as well and will be fully operational in a couple of months. And the Safari Zone over in Fuchsia City was being closed down because the warden wanted to move it to Johto. However, plans were being made to change the old Safari Zone into a Pal Park._

_Over in Saffron City, houses and buildings were being demolished to build the station for the Magnet Train. The city paid compensation and bought new homes for the people who had to leave the houses that were torn down. Celadon City had to remove their slot machines in the Game Corner since there were many complaints that it was encouraging gambling for the teenagers in the city. That and the fact that Team Rocket owned the Game Corner. Of course, after their defeat to Leaf and Red, they sold the Game Corner to a billionaire. He complied with Celadon's demands to remove the slot machines, and he remodeled the building and added a new game called Voltorb Flip._

_As for news on the Elite Four, Koga officially joined them, and his daughter, Janine, signed up and became the new gym leader of Fuchsia. The Elite Four also found two other trainers to fill in the empty places that Lorelei and Agatha left when they retired. One was a purple-haired man by the name of Will, who wore formal clothes and a mask over his eyes, and the other was a woman with long, silver hair named Karen. They specialized in training Psychic-type and Dark-type Pokémon respectively. Leaf thought they would be interesting to meet and talk to, hoping to do so someday soon._

_The other gym leaders were almost finished with the remodeling of their gyms, which made Leaf wonder what the buildings looked like now after the last time she saw them. Still, all these new changes were amazing to her. She only wished that Red was also here to see them. Or maybe he already knew, wherever he was. Leaf sighed, hugging her legs as she watched a commercial for the Wii. The commercial reminded her that she should go buy the new console since her NES was very outdated. She grabbed the remote nearby, pushing the power button to turn off the TV. With nothing else to do and already in her blue pajama bottoms and black t-shirt, she figured she should just go to sleep. Besides, it was past midnight, and he still hadn't—_

_The sound of a tap on her window caused Leaf to jump out of fright, surprising both Static and Togetic. She looked over and saw Blue looking in, waiting for her to open the window. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she got up and opened the window, letting him inside._

"_Let me guess," began Leaf, closing the window once Blue was in her room. "You had Machamp give you a boost up, right?"_

"_Hey, it's the quietest way to sneak in your room. You already know that."_

"_I didn't think you'd come over today since you hadn't called at all. I was about to go to sleep."_

"_It's been really busy at the gym," explained Blue, sitting down on her bed. "Feels like I'm getting more challengers by the day."_

"_That's because you leave your gym a lot, and the number of challengers starts adding up," said Leaf matter-of-factly, sitting next to him on the bed._

"_You're one of the reasons why I leave the gym a lot."_

"_Says the one who comes looking for me most of the time."_

_She playfully bumped her shoulder against his arm, shoving him lightly. He did the same back to her, but with a little more force. Leaf bumped him back, the shove rather rough and even pushed him a bit. Blue's next shove wasn't too surprising being how the game was progressing – the push ended up making her fall on her side on the bed. Static and Togetic seemed to laugh at what was going on, watching the both of them amusedly._

"_Warn me before you push me like that," said Leaf, quickly sitting up. She hooked right her arm around his neck and gave him a noogie as he tried to pull away from her._

"_You're messing up my hair!"_

"_And you're going to wake up my mom if you keep talking so loud."_

_Blue broke free from her hold, giving her an annoyed look while she giggled. He ran his hands through his hair, trying to fix it up without help from a mirror since Leaf didn't have one in her room._

"_I'm so glad that tomorrow I'll be free," said Leaf, lying down while watching Blue fix his messy hair. "And I'm going to do everything I can to not get grounded again. It's really boring to be in my room all day, every day."_

"_How the hell were you able to do that before Gramps gave you Charmander," asked Blue, lying down beside her._

"_It's not 'Charmander', it's Flare! That's what I named him. And I was able to sit in my room all day long because there wasn't any other place I could go to. Well, there was the library, but that's not much better than being in my room."_

"_Poor Leaf. Looks like not having a social life stunted your growth."_

"_Sh-shut up," said Leaf, punching Blue in the arm. "That was then. I made a lot of friends when traveling around Kanto, so I'm a social Butterfree now."_

"_A miniature social Butterfree."_

"_Stop calling me short!"_

_Leaf grabbed her pillow and hit Blue with it, who raised his hands to defend himself._

"_Calm down, Leaf! I didn't, exactly, call you short, did I," asked Blue, causing Leaf to stop attacking with her pillow. She looked down, obviously thinking it over._

"_Technically, you didn't," agreed Leaf, hitting him again with her pillow. "And that's for being a smart-ass."_

"_It's not my fault that I'm a genius."_

_Leaf placed the pillow under her head, staring up at the ceiling. She began to wonder what she should do tomorrow to celebrate her freedom of being grounded. Her brown eyes lit up as an idea came into mind._

"_Blue, let's go buy some Wiis tomorrow," she said, turning her head to look at his reaction._

"_A Wii? That new console, right," asked Blue, meeting Leaf's gaze._

"_Yep, that's the one."_

"_Sure, why not? It's always good to have nice things, especially when you have really old things."_

"_The NES isn't that bad. It's still a lot of fun to play. It just doesn't have the graphics, Internet access, and memory blocks that the Wii has."_

_Blue raised an eyebrow at her questioningly, Leaf finally realizing what she had said._

"_That's not really helping my argument, is it," she asked, Blue smiling lightly in response. "Well, anyway, I think that sports game looks like a lot of fun. Um, Blue?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Should we… Buy another Wii for Red? His birthday passed a few months ago, and it'd be nice if we got him something, even if it is really late. Just to show that we still remember."_

_It was Blue's turn to look up at the ceiling, thinking about what Leaf said. Though Blue was still angry about Red's sudden disappearance, he wouldn't admit that he actually missed the quiet boy. Red was, along with Leaf, his closest friend years ago. Back then, Red was the best person for Blue to talk to, ironically. Leaf wasn't the greatest listener of Pallet Town since her mind was easily distracted by the many ideas she'd get, or she'd be in such intense concentration or thought that she'd ignore everything around her. Even now, while she has improved in picking up on people's feelings, she didn't always listen, especially if she was researching and writing reports or stressing about doing those things. There were also certain things that Blue just couldn't talk about with Leaf, instead going to Red about them. Just as Blue missed Leaf as a friend, he also missed Red because it had always been the three of them together._

"_Blue? Are you okay," asked Leaf, tugging at his jacket sleeve to get his attention._

"_I'm fine, just a little tired," he replied, rubbing his eyes a bit with both hands._

"_But what about—"_

"_Yeah, we'll get him one, too. It wouldn't be fair if we got a Wii and he didn't."_

_Leaf moved so that she was lying on her side, leaning close to Blue and kissing his cheek._

"_Thanks, Blue," she said, lying on her back again._

"_A kiss on the cheek? Really? We're not in kindergarten, you know."_

"_I know that! It's just… Togetic and Static are watching. It feels a little weird to kiss in front of them."_

"_Compared to Tyranitar and Flare, I'd rather have them watching," said Blue, pulling Leaf close to him. However, Blue had the air knocked out of him when Leaf's Raichu jumped on him while Togetic gently landed beside Leaf._

"_Aw, they want to join us," said Leaf, watching Togetic snuggle next to her._

"_Great," commented Blue sarcastically as Static lied on his stomach and went to sleep._

* * *

><p>"<em>Hm, he's sure taking a while," said Leaf to Flare as they waited outside of Viridian's gym. Leaf straightened out her white dress with pink polka dots for the hundredth time and adjusted the strap of her purse. The Charizard looked displeased that his trainer was made to wait. Already as it was, Flare greatly disliked that brown-haired boy with the smug, cocky attitude. Hell, he didn't like him from day one, when he first battled against the boy's Squirtle and saw how the trainer behaved. It got worse from there after every encounterbattle with him, the encounter in Pokémon Tower in particular. Though Flare was sent out in the late part of the battle, he didn't need to know the previous events before the battle to know that his trainer was terrified out of her mind. The way she gave orders—her voice was shaky, and she was breathing rapidly, a direct contrast to the confident voice she used to direct her Pokémon—was a dead giveaway that Leaf was afraid._

_Flare battled to his fullest potential against the boy's Exeggcute and Kadabra, defeating them as quickly as he could to get his trainer away from whatever it was that was making her scared. Yet, when he watched that boy interact with Leaf, he noticed, to his astonishment, that she was growing a little calmer, even when he insulted her about having nothing to accomplish. When the boy tried to leave, Leaf screamed and asked him to stay with her until Red returned. Flare easily detected that pleading voice she used and realized that she was practically begging. The then-Charmeleon didn't take much liking to that. Leaf had recently won a battle, proving that she was currently the strongest trainer between them, and there she was, showing weakness. But, what really set Flare off was, after all that, that boy refused to stay with her._

_Flare knew that, despite how intensely he disliked that brown-haired boy, Leaf would be happy, albeit for a moment, to have him with her. So, he growled in the most menacing way he could to intimidate the human, which worked according to plan. From the corner of his eye, he watched his trainer and that boy talk, though it seemed that Leaf was growing irritable from the boy's presence. Flare thought it would have been best if the boy had just left, but no, the Charmeleon just had to feel the slightest of affection towards his trainer and forced the boy to stay._

_Of course, that was a year ago, and so much had happened during the past year. Though, one of the things that the now-Charizard didn't expect was for his trainer to develop an infatuation with that smug boy. Even now, he refused to acknowledge that boy by his name, despite that Leaf wouldn't understand him anyway. Flare couldn't quite understand what it was that drew her in to him like a Volbeat to an Illumise._

_The sound of giggling drew the Charizard's attention to a group of girls that was walking by. Leaf looked up, surprise in her eyes, and quickly walked over to the group. Flare obediently followed her, not sure just what his trainer was about to do._

"_Um, hey," called out Leaf, getting the girls' attention. They looked at her with disapproval, already rejecting whatever she was about to say. However, Leaf, who was unfortunately still rather oblivious to the hidden undertones of others, didn't notice the way they were looking at her._

"_I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about what I said the other day," said Leaf, moving strands of hair out of her face. "I don't know what came over me. I don't usually act like that."_

"_You know," began the first girl, who seemed to be leading this little group. "If you're going to be two-faced, at least make one of them pretty."_

"_Two-faced?"_

"_I feel bad that Blue is with someone like you," commented the second girl. "I'm sure he'll come to his senses soon."_

_The other girls laughed, and the group walked away, saying, "Bye, faker!"_

_Flare thought they had another thing coming if they could just insult his trainer and walk away without suffering any consequences. A spark of fire formed in his mouth, but Leaf reached up and began to pet him, calming him down a little._

"_No, don't do that," she said softy. "I deserved that for acting like a jerk to them before. I'm never doing something like that ever again."_

_Flare snorted at that, making Leaf laugh a little. The door of the gym opened up, Leaf and Flare turning their heads to see who was leaving. To Leaf's delight, Blue walked out, his Tyranitar following him._

"_Sorry about making you wait," began Blue as Leaf walked up to him to hug him. "There were some things I had to—"_

_Tyranitar suddenly stepped in front of Blue, intercepting Leaf's incoming hug. Tyranitar happily hugged back Leaf, obviously thrilled to see her again. However, Flare pulled Leaf away, glaring at the Tyranitar for his behavior. Leaf was confused about what was going on but went to greet Blue, who was a little annoyed that Tyranitar beat him to the hug._

"_So, are you ready to go buy the Wii consoles," asked Leaf, looking quite excited._

"_Sure," he replied with a small shrug. He felt a little nervous that Tyranitar and Flare were watching them intently, very discontent that Blue was too close to Leaf. Leaf, oblivious as always, gently grabbed his hand and lead the way to the electronics store, Flare and Tyranitar following close behind. The two Pokémon growled at each other occasionally, finding the other's presence intolerable._

"_Here it is," said Leaf excitedly, looking up at the building. Inside, all the electronics were separated into sections. Televisions on the farthest side, refrigerators and washing machines on the left, and computers to the right with video games, music CDs, and Pokégears in the middle of the large store. _

"_They don't allow Pokémon inside," said Blue, pointing at a sign on the window. The sign indicated that Pokémon may damage the products inside and must be kept in a pokéball at all times, especially if they were Electric-types. Both Tyranitar and Flare huffed at that, as if they were completely harmless. However, Leaf and Blue knew better of their capabilities, and they returned the Pokémon to their pokéballs before stepping inside the store. They went straight to the video game section, picked up three boxes of Wii consoles, and waited in the shortest line of the available cash registers. After about five minutes of waiting, they were finally able to pay for their consoles to take home. They walked through Route 1, Leaf carrying a bag with her Wii in it, while Blue carried his and Red's. On their way home, Leaf asked something that Blue wasn't expecting._

"_Blue, can you say that thing," she asked as Blue raised an eyebrow at her in response. "You know, what you said when you saw Red and me in the S. S. Anne."_

_Blue was silent for a moment, trying to remember what she was talking about. The memory suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks._

"_Seriously? You want me to say _that_? Just say it yourself if you want to hear it," he said, annoyed that she would ask such a question._

"_C'mon! I want to hear _you_ say it!"_

"_No."_

"_Please?"_

"_I said 'no.'"_

"_Jerk."_

_She looked off to the side, staring at the edge of the road so she wouldn't look at Blue. In her head, she began counting down. Three… Two… One…_

"_I'm just going to say it once," said Blue, Leaf looking back at him with an innocent smile. "Got it? Just once."_

"_Okay. Say it whenever you're ready," said Leaf, unable to hold back her eager grin. "But you have to say it like you did that time."_

_Blue sighed and stopped walking, setting down one of the bags, before taking a deep breath to prepare himself for what he was about to say._

"_Bonjour," he said confidently, adding a pose of his hand near his forehead. Leaf smiled, chuckling a little._

"_You're so lame," commented Leaf with a small laugh._

"_What do you mean I'm lame," he asked defensively._

"_Because you can't say 'no' to me," she said, giving him a wink._

_He just watched her walk ahead of him, a little surprised of her flirtatious, albeit slightly, behavior. He wouldn't complain though, or even argue with her, since he was aware that he struggled to refuse Leaf whatever she wanted from him. Of course, there were still a couple things he could refuse her, mind you. It wasn't in his nature to be too permissive._

"_We'll see who's lame when I own you in the tennis game," said Blue, picking up the bag and catching up with Leaf._

"_Bring it on," said Leaf, turning around briefly to look at him. "And I think you should check out some French books."_

* * *

><p><em>It didn't take long to set up the Wii in Blue's room. There weren't that many cords and the instruction manual made it much clearer, though Blue didn't take a single glance at the manual. Leaf was the one who was reading it, checking up on how to set up the Wii and problems that may occur with it. Daisy was sitting on Blue's computer chair, curious about the new home console and the game that came with it.<em>

_Leaf and Blue did kill a little time dropping off Red's Wii at his house. Hazel looked very happy that they bought him one and told them that it was a great birthday gift. However, Leaf thought it was disappointing that Red wasn't around to enjoy his present. She figured it would be a surprise for him whenever he came back from who-knows-where._

"_There, it's all set," said Blue after plugging in the cord that powers the console._

"_And I put the batteries in the remotes, so they're ready to go," added Leaf, handing one of the Wii-motes to Blue._

_Daisy watched eagerly as the console was powered on. The TV screen lit up into a black screen with a health warning on it, which changed into the home page when Leaf pressed the A button to continue. The first Leaf did was to set up the time and day on it, and as she did that, Blue took out the Wii Sports game out of its case and put it in the drive. After a few moments, the game showed up in one of the menu channels, to which Leaf clicked on and loaded the game. A white screen showed up, saying to not stand too close to anything or anyone. The game screen appeared, displaying the sports available for play. There was tennis, bowling, baseball, golf, and boxing. _

"_Leaf," began Daisy, Leaf turning her head to look at her. "Is it all right if I try first? This looks like a lot of fun."_

"_Oh, sure," said Leaf, passing her remote to Daisy. Leaf didn't mind, especially when Daisy hardly ever played any video games._

"_Blue, which game do you want to play," asked Daisy, an unusual competitive streak in her green eyes._

"_I was going to play the tennis one, but I'll save that for when I'm playing against Leaf. So… You want to try bowling?"_

_Daisy nodded, and Blue used the remote to pick bowling. A menu showed up, showing how to play and use the controls. Daisy did small motions with her remote, practicing a little before the main game. Leaf sat down on Blue's bed, watching them play. At first, everything was going well… Until Daisy accidentally let go of her remote in the end of a throw, sending the remote flying into the TV. A loud crack could be heard from the collision, Daisy covering her mouth with her hand in surprise._

"_Jeez, Daisy, are you trying to break my TV," asked Blue, pausing the game and checking the screen._

"_That was an accident," said Daisy, walking over and picking up the remote. She checked it over for any breaks or dents, but it seemed perfectly fine. As for the television screen, there was a small scratch on it, but Daisy decided to keep quiet about that._

"_Whoops," said Leaf, taking out some straps from the Wii box. "I forgot to tie in the wrist straps for the remotes."_

"_Way to go, Leaf," said Blue, handing her his remote as Daisy did the same. Leaf just chuckled as she tied the straps on the remotes. She passed them back to Blue and Daisy for them to continue on with their game. Daisy won the match with just a few more points thanks to the last strike that she got._

"_You were just lucky," said Blue, crossing his arms over his chest._

"_My turn," said Leaf, quickly getting off the bed to switch places with Daisy. Leaf secured the wrist strap, ensuring that she wouldn't throw it on accident, as Daisy sat down on the bed to watch. Blue changed the game to tennis, which Leaf was prepared for. The controls were simple enough, mainly motion-focused, and the game soon began. Again, things were running along smoothly. However, about halfway in their game, Leaf took a step too close to Blue as she swung her arm to hit the virtual tennis ball. Her hand, with the Wii-mote, smacked into Blue's face, the sound possibly loud enough to be heard downstairs._

"_I swear, I didn't mean to do that," said Leaf in panic as Blue quickly covered his nose with both hands._

"_Blue, are you all right," asked Daisy, getting up from the bed and checking on her younger brother._

"_Does it look like I'm all right," asked Blue, his voice dripping with sarcasm._

_Leaf gently pulled one of his hands away to get a better look. His nose was rather red from the smack, but there wasn't anything serious like a massive nosebleed or a broken nose._

"_You'll be okay," said Leaf, giving him a reassuring smile. _

"_I think we should stop playing now," said Daisy, looking over at the Wii. "This thing is kind of dangerous."_

"_No kidding," commented Blue, turning off the Wii and TV. _

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: The Wii is a dangerous console. I'm very sorry that it took so long for this story to be updated. I was really stressed out when I was writing this chapter, which I guess is kind of obvious since it isn't that funny, and I altogether stopped writing because I just couldn't do this when things were too much for me. Anyway, to my anonymous reviewers, I have made it possible for you to ask me any questions, or just talk to me, about my stories, headcanons, or any other random things. I've created a Tumblr account, where I blog about Pokemon, my other fandoms, and the occasional personal stuff. The link is in my profile, and everyone else is welcome to check my blog and ask me whatever is on your mind. Thank you all for reading, reviewing, and being so patient with me!_**


	10. Legends of Ecruteak

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 1: The First Steps

Ethan and Lyra barged into the Ecruteak Dance Theater, earning some surprised glances from the spectators there. However, their stares weren't on them for long, turning instead to the scene before them – the one unfolding on the well-lit stage. Standing on the wooden stage was a man in black, yet another Team Rocket grunt, and a woman in a kimono, looking quite similar to the other kimono girls the duo have met.

"Stop dancing such a serious dance," yelled the Rocket grunt, the kimono girl flinching from the loudness. "Show me something like a hula dance!"

"You mustn't push such a request on me," retorted the kimono girl with a brave face, yet her eyes expressed fear.

"Are you telling me you don't respect what the customer wants," he asked, suddenly taking a step closer to her. She immediately backed away, her gaze now on the floor as she trembled.

"Then I'll show you how to dance," added the Rocket grunt, a hint of mockery in his voice. "I'll show you a great one!"

As the grunt performed a crude imitation of a hula dance, Ethan ran across the tatami mats and up the stage, a pokéball in hand, with Lyra following along with Cynder.

"What the hell do you think you're doing to her," yelled Ethan, glaring at the Rocket grunt.

"Who are you," asked the grunt, annoyed that a kid was yelling at him. "You shouldn't be doing something stupid as getting in my way!"

They both tossed a pokéball, a Togetic and Koffing appearing onstage. Lyra made her way to the kimono girl, Cynder watching both the battle and Rocket grunt intently as he stood beside Lyra.

"Don't worry," assured Lyra to the kimono girl. "Things are going to be okay now."

When those words left Lyra's mouth, Togetic attacked Koffing with Extrasensory, quickly knocking out the Pokémon.

"You make me look like a villain," said the grunt, returning Koffing to its pokéball.

"What are you talking about," asked Ethan, raising an eyebrow at him in confusion. "You did that yourself."

A beeping sound filled the room, the source being the grunt's wristwatch. He looked at it quickly, eyes wide in realization.

"Damn, I'm going to be late for the mission," he said in a low voice. "If they find out I was wasting time here, they'll make me start over at the lowest rank. I better get going."

He ran out of the dance theater, the kimono girl sighing in relief that he was finally gone. She then stared rather intensely at both Ethan and Lyra before her gaze softened.

"You two," she began softly. "You are Ethan and Lyra, correct? What you did was very admirable."

"It's nothing," said Ethan with a proud grin. "Besides, I can't turn a blind eye to a pretty girl in need."

Lyra just rolled her eyes at Ethan's boast, a small sigh escaping her lips.

"From the look of your Pokémon, I can tell you've been raising them well," continued the kimono girl. "Yes, I'd say that person does know what to look for in people…"

"Person," asked Lyra curiously, wondering who it was she was talking about.

"Ah, it's nothing. That was just me talking to myself," she replied with a laugh. A man in a brown suit, complete with hat and cane, walked onstage, approaching the three of them.

"You're so courageous for your age," he told Lyra and Ethan. "In all of my years, such acts are still rare to see. Please, I want you to have these."

He reached into his jacket, taking out a pair of cd cases and handing them to the duo.

"That's Surf," explained the man as Ethan and Lyra put away the HMs. "It's a move that lets Pokémon swim across water with ease."

"Wait, shouldn't some Pokémon, especially the Water-types, know how to swim already," asked Ethan, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, technically, yes. But this HM is a battle move, too. If a Pokémon learns it, it'd be able to summon a powerful wave of water."

"Whoa, that's badass."

"Indeed. Anyway, thank you for being so brave."

"Yes," added the kimono girl. "I'm in your debt. Feel free to come by the dance theater whenever you want to see a dance. And, who knows? I might see you again for a very important event in the future, if either of you are truly exceptional."

"Um, okay," said Lyra as she and Ethan made their way out of the dance theater. Everyone in the room waved goodbye to them until they were back outside.

"Ethan, what do you think she meant by that," asked Lyra, looking up at her friend.

"Eh, I don't really know. Those kimono girls say weird stuff sometimes. They're still hot, though."

Ethan took a small moment to take in the surroundings, spotting the gym down the street. Since it was the place they were initially about to check out first, they both walked down the paved street to the sign out front.

"'Morty: The Mystic Seer of the Future,'" read Lyra for Ethan. She was quiet for a moment before turning to Ethan with a confused look on her face.

"Um, what kind of Pokémon does he use then," she asked.

"I don't really know. I mean, I can make some guesses, but it's not going to help much," replied Ethan with a shrug.

"What are your guesses? That way I can have some idea of what's ahead."

"He might specialize in Psychic-types since the sign says 'seer of the future'. But, the 'mystic' part makes me think he uses either Dark or Ghost-types. So, one of those three."

Lyra nodded, even though she had no idea what weaknesses those types had. She had a feeling that this challenge will be difficult, much like all the other gym leader battles. With a quiet sigh, she looked up at the gym, wondering if she had to go catch another Pokémon or keep training her current team. Her brown eyes widened at the sight above the gym; an unbelievably tall tower stretched to the sky, almost like it was reaching for the clouds.

"That's Bell Tower," explained Ethan, noticing that she was staring at the tower. "I heard there were monks running a station at the base, only letting the 'worthy' to climb the tower."

"What do you need to do to be considered worthy?"

"I'm not so sure. Those monks don't like revealing much to the public. Anyway, I'll see you later."

Ethan began to walk away, Lyra looking up in shock that he was just leaving her behind.

"H-hey! Where are you going," she called out, causing him to stop and look back.

"Just some exploring. You should go look around the city, too."

"But, didn't you want to look around with me? Because we didn't get to explore Goldenrod City together last time."

"Lyra, I know that I told you that I'd watch your back and stuff, but you have to learn how to do things on your own. You and I both know that we're not always together 24/7. Besides, you have your Pokémon with you. They're your friends, just like me, so they'll always protect you."

Lyra looked down at Cynder, who smiled and nodded at her, which made her feel reassured that she'd be safe. Ethan approached her again, putting a hand on her left shoulder.

"We're traveling together, but that doesn't mean our journeys are the same," he told her, smiling gently. "We're different people, so are goals are also different. Now, can I trust you to check out Ecruteak without getting into trouble?"

"Um, yeah," replied Lyra, thinking over what Ethan told her. "I-I think I can take care of myself."

"Good. I'll meet you at the Pokémon Center at sundown."

He walked away, leaving Lyra on her own with Cynder. She smiled at her Pokémon before wandering off herself. She walked down the street, looking at the houses and buildings that reminded her of Violet City because of their traditional appearances. As she walked, she couldn't help but stare at Bell Tower. It was really difficult for her to not look at it – it's very impressive height just demanded her attention, and that very height is what made it so conspicuous. When she reached the end of the street, she noticed a much smaller tower near Bell Tower. This tower was smaller from a natural disaster – a fire – and was nothing more than charred remains of a once-remarkable structure. However, it made Lyra curious to know what was left in the tower.

She didn't think it'd be much harm to explore the burned tower, steadily making her way to the steps out front. A sign nearby warned that the tower was unsafe and to stay away. Parts of Lyra wanted to just back away and look somewhere else, and yet, she didn't want to let fear push her away from taking a chance. Before she entered the tower, she switched Cynder for Zephyr because the large bird was strong enough hold up Lyra's weight should she fall or anything of the sort. The first thing that greeted Lyra upon entering the tower was a large, gaping hole in the wooden floor. Suddenly, Zephyr pulled Lyra back by grabbing her overalls with her beak, a piece of a wooden beam falling from the ceiling and landing precisely where Lyra was standing moments before.

"That was a close one," said Lyra, looking up at the hole in the ceiling. "Thanks, Zephyr."

The Noctowl hooted, turning her head to the right. Lyra turned to whatever Zephyr was staring at, realizing that there were two other people in the tower as well. One was a blonde-haired man with a purple headband and scarf along with a black sweater and white pants. The other brown-haired man was wearing a purple tuxedo with a white cape and red bowtie. Lyra had to admit that these two had a rather good taste in fashion. She quietly approached them, the man in the purple tuxedo greeting her.

"Hello," he began, doing a small bow out of courtesy. "My name is Eusine, and I'm tracking down a Pokémon named Suicune. And you are…?"

"Oh, um, I'm Lyra," replied Lyra, giving a small wave.

"Lyra? Glad to meet you. I heard rumors that Suicune is here, so I came to look."

"Suicune?"

"Take a look at the basement through the hole in the floor." He led her to the edge of the hole in the ground, a trio of Pokémon standing rigidly in the center of the room below. One was blue with a purple mane, another was yellow with long fangs, and the third was brown with yellow and red facial crests.

"There," said Eusine, pointing at the blue Pokémon. "Suicune is down there. I could go downstairs, but I know it would run away in no time."

For a moment, Suicune's appearance captivated Lyra. To her, it was a very beautiful Pokémon, holding grace, ferocity, and nobility. She quickly snapped out of her thoughts, hoping that she didn't come off as rude.

"How do you know that," asked Lyra as they stepped away from the hole.

"I have tried it many times…"

"Eusine, who's this," asked the other man, who walked up to them.

"This is Lyra," introduced Eusine, Lyra smiling politely.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you," said Lyra, Zephyr hooting in greeting.

"I'm Morty, Ecruteak's gym leader," said Morty, earning a surprised gasp from Lyra.

"Y-you're Morty? What are you doing in a place like this?"

"My friend Eusine is here on the trail of Suicune, so I decided to investigate the Burned Tower. Ecruteak has a legend about these legendary Pokémon: Suicune, Entei, and Raikou."

"Those are their names?"

"Yes, and as the gym leader of Ecruteak, I must have a proper understanding of the legend."

From the corner of Lyra's eye, she noticed some movement in the shadows. Was it a Pokémon? Or something else entirely?

"It was great meeting you both, but I have to get going," said Lyra, giving a small wave as she walked away to the source of the movement. She stepped over fallen pieces of the ceiling, heading to the other side of the room. To her surprise, the source of the movement earlier was none other than Silver. She jumped over a burnt beam, the sound causing the red-haired boy to suddenly look at her. For a second, there was surprise in his gray eyes, but it just as quickly changed into a glare. Lyra nervously smiled, raising her hand up in greeting.

"Oh, it's you," said Silver with disdain, making Lyra stop smiling and quickly put her hand down. "You must be here to catch the legendary Pokémon to make yourself look strong."

"Um, actually, I'm here to—"

"That is only a dream," he interrupted, a smirk on his lips. "You see, the legendary Pokémon suits a trainer like me who has sworn to become the strongest trainer."

"Now, hold up," said Lyra strongly. "I might not be the strongest, but I'm putting a lot of effort to bring out the best out of my Pokémon!"

"The best you and your Pokémon can do is battle against Team Rocket grunts!"

Silver grabbed a pokéball, alerting Zephyr to fly in front of Lyra, and tossed it, releasing a Gastly from the capsule.

"Use Confusion," ordered Lyra, Zephyr performing the attack before Gastly prepared its Curse. Gastly was knocked out, and both Lyra and Silver switched out their Pokémon and sent out a Quagsire and Magnemite respectively.

"Supersonic," said Silver, watching the Magnemite send out sound waves. However, the move missed, giving Cascade the opportunity to attack.

"Now, Cascade! Mud-Shot!"

Cascade inhaled deeply before sending out a spray of mud from her mouth, hitting Magnemite with the blast. Magnemite's double weakness to Ground-type attacks made it incapable of battling from losing consciousness. The trainers switched Pokémon again, this time sending out a Flaaffy and Croconaw. Voltage huffed at the opposing Pokémon, far from intimidated by its fierce appearance.

Lyra had Voltage use Charge, knowing that this would put Voltage at risk of getting hurt. However, Croconaw used Scary Face before Voltage, which actually startled the Flaaffy. Croconaw used the same move, which was now annoying Voltage that the Pokémon was getting its kicks from scaring her. She didn't hesitate to unleash a powered-up Thundershock when Lyra ordered it, knocking out the Croconaw.

"Out of desperation, weak people sometimes do okay at fighting back," said Silver, switching out his Croconaw for Zubat.

"What are you talking about," asked Lyra, giving him a confused look. "You're down to your last Pokémon already!"

"We'll see about that."

"Stupid tsundere," she muttered under her breath.

Zubat, taking advantage of Voltage's slowness, used Supersonic, successfully causing confusion. Voltage teetered from side to side, trying to focus on Zubat as she used Thundershock. The attack luckily hit, defeating the Zubat and bringing the battle to an end.

"I'm not fighting with another weakling ever again," growled Silver, returning Zubat to its pokéball. "It's too much playing around."

Lyra decided to stay quiet this time as she returned Voltage to her own pokéball, Zephyr watching intently at the scene.

"Anyway, you would never be able to catch a legendary Pokémon," continued Silver, now annoying Lyra. He walked away, roughly bumping into Lyra as he headed out to the exit.

"Rude much," said Lyra, rubbing her shoulder from the collision. She looked down and noticed a ladder nearby descending to the floor below where Raikou, Entei, and Suicune were. She climbed down, Zephyr flying down and waiting for her at the bottom. When she was on solid ground, Lyra saw the three Pokémon in the center of the room, staring intensely at her. She slowly took a few steps toward them, hoping not to startle them. Though, when she reached a certain distance from them, the three Pokémon roared, the yellow and brown Pokémon running around unbelievably fast before jumping out of the hole in the floor above. Suicune ran around a bit, until it stopped and stood in front of Lyra a few feet away, staring at her for a moment before roaring and jumping out as well.

"Did you see it," yelled a familiar voice, surprising Lyra. She turned to see Eusine running up to her, looking up at the hole above where Suicune escaped through.

"Suicune raced by like a blur, right in front of my eyes," he said, eyes full of admiration. "I have been chasing Suicune for almost ten years, but I have never been this close! I'm all choked up!"

Lyra was about to ask if he was all right, until he turned to look at her, staring into her eyes with… Lyra wasn't sure what was in his eyes. Envy, maybe?

"By the way," he began slowly. "It was clear to me that Suicune took notice of your presence."

"Well, I was the only one here so it was probably just coinci—"

"Ecruteak's legendary Pokémon are said to come to people only when they recognize their talents."

Lyra's eyes widened at that, surprised at what Eusine was implying. She found it hard to believe that Suicune would consider her as having exceptional talent, especially when there were much greater trainers out there.

"Perhaps I should be more aggressive toward Suicune," mumbled Eusine, a hand on his chin in thought. "Anyway, Lyra, we will meet again."

Eusine ran off, climbing up the ladder with great speed. Lyra glanced around the room, and when she realized she couldn't thoroughly check out the room, she also climbed up the ladder to head back outside. On the upper level, she saw that both Eusine and Morty were gone, but it was Morty's disappearance that disappointed her.

"Shoot! I forgot to ask Morty what type of Pokémon he uses," said Lyra to Zephyr as they walked out of the Burned Tower. To the west, the sky was a light orange, the clouds tinted with shades of orange, purple, and magenta. Zephyr calmly hooted at the setting sun, her trainer sighing out of both homesickness and exhaustion.

"We're so far away from home," she said softly. "It makes me wonder when we'll go back and stay for good. Zephyr, between you and me, this whole journey really scares me. I do my best to be brave and push on because I know that's what Ethan wants, but… Everything that has happened so far are things I thought I'd never experience or do."

The Noctowl looked at her trainer with worry, tilting her head at a very odd angle that made Lyra chuckle.

"It's really weird when I think about it," continued Lyra. "The things that are scaring me are keeping me out here. If I really wanted to, I could just give up and head back to New Bark Town. But, after meeting you and our other friends, I want to see how far I can go; I want to see if I have what it takes."

Zephyr hooted, looking up at the dim stars in the sky that were getting brighter the more the sun disappeared over the horizon. Lyra looked up as well, trying to piece together what Zephyr was trying to tell her. A small, knowing smile slowly appeared on her lips.

"I guess the sky's the limit, huh," she asked, walking back to the Pokémon Center. "C'mon, Zephyr. We should go meet up with Ethan now."

* * *

><p>Lyra panted, wiping away the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand. She had been looking through the tall grass near Ecruteak to battle against wild Pokémon for her team to get more experience. All that searching combined with the midday heat of the sun tired her out. She took off her hat and began to fan herself with it. Cynder, who she was training, stood up on his hind legs, watching Lyra fan herself. As a Fire-type, the heat of the sun didn't bother him. In fact, he absolutely loved it.<p>

"Good job, Cynder," said Lyra, returning her Quilava to its pokéball. "Now that you're done training, all my Pokémon are ready to face Morty."

As she walked back to Ecruteak, Ethan's words from the day before raced through her mind.

"Lyra, I found out that Morty uses Ghost-types," he told her when they met up again at the Pokémon Center.

"Ghost-types? What Pokémon should I use then," she asked, not too familiar with that type.

"Ghost-types are weak against their own type and Dark-types, but there is one other loophole. See, sometimes, there are dual-type ghosts that have poison as its second type. Poison-types are weak against Ground and Psychic-types."

"That means Cascade will be good to use in battle."

"Actually, you're better off using your Noctowl. Since she's part Normal-type, that will give her immunity to Ghost-type attacks. And she also knows Psychic-type moves."

Lyra snapped out of her thoughts, focusing back on her walk to the gym. When she stood before the gym, she released Zephyr from her pokéball, who seemed very prepared for the battles ahead. Lyra just hoped that all the training she did was enough to win her the fourth badge she needed. She took a deep breath and walked through the doorway of the glass doors, entering a very dark room with candles as the only source of light. There was a narrow pathway over the smoky abyss below, which made Lyra nervous of what would happen if she were to fall. However, since Zephyr was with her, she was confident that her Pokémon would keep her safe.

She carefully walked down the pathway, making sure that there was firm ground beneath her feet before setting her full weight on it. At the end of the pathway was an old priestess holding a candle in her hand. At first, Lyra thought she was there to provide more light for challengers. She realized how wrong she was when she was in the priestess' line of sight. She was an older woman in traditional shrine clothes, holding a candle in her left hand.

"Can you inflict any damage on our Pokémon," she asked, taking out a pokéball from her right sleeve.

"I'm pretty sure that I can," replied Lyra as Zephyr and a Gastly faced off in a battle. Remembering her battle with Silver's Gastly, Lyra ordered Zephyr to use Confusion. That was enough to take out the opposing Pokémon. However, as the battle went on, Lyra realized that this priestess had five Gastly with her, the lack of variety slightly annoying Lyra. Zephyr won the battle spectacularly, and the priestess had no choice but to pay Lyra the winning money.

"We use only Ghost-type Pokémon," she said, holding up her candle. "No Normal-type attack can harm them!"

She blew out the flame from her candle, leaving Lyra in almost perpetual darkness.

"Hey! How can we see where the path is now," asked Lyra, afraid to take another step. Zephyr hooted, pulling Lyra by her sleeve down the narrow path to the next source of light. That source was another priestess, who was also holding a candle.

"Not sure of your way," asked the priestess, her tone carrying the slightest of mockery. "Defeat me if you want a hint!"

She sent out a purple Pokémon with floating, clawed hands. Lyra wasn't sure what that Pokémon was, but she hoped that it had a second weakness to Psychic-type attacks. Zephyr attacked with Confusion, severely weakening the opposing Pokémon.

"Haunter, Mean Look," ordered the priestess as her Pokémon glared at Zephyr.

"Finish it off with Confusion," said Lyra, Zephyr performing the attack again.

It knocked out the Haunter, but the priestess sent out another Haunter. Lyra sighed, wondering why these priestesses had many of the same Pokémon. Zephyr used Confusion, this one a bit more powerful than it normally would have been.

"To find your way around," explained the priestess, paying Lyra her prize money. "Look for the path right before our eyes."

"Okay," said Lyra, even though she had no idea what she meant by that. The priestess suddenly blew out the flame of her candle, the darkness surrounding Lyra. However, Zephyr seemed to know the way, pulling Lyra along carefully as she walked on the path. Another priestess saw them, steadily rushing over to make sure the flame of her candle doesn't go out.

"I spent the spring with my Pokémon," began the priestess, Zephyr prepared for whatever Pokémon she'd sent out. "Then summer, autumn, and winter… Then spring came again. We have lived together for a long time."

She sent out a Haunter, who immediately used Sucker Punch to strike Zephyr. Zephyr endured the attack, retaliating with Confusion, which luckily knocked out the Haunter. The priestess quietly smiled as she returned her Pokémon to its pokéball, blowing out the candle flame. Lyra wasn't sure what the point of making everything dark was going to help her get to Morty, but she didn't want to think too much about it when she needed to focus on not falling off the path. She was very glad that Zephyr was leading the way.

Yet another priestess saw them, yelling "I shall win" as she approached. She tossed a pokéball, releasing a (predictable) Gastly. Zephyr calmly performed Confusion, quickly taking out the Ghost-type Pokémon because of its dual Poison-type. The priestess then sent out a Haunter, who was also taken out by Zephyr's Confusion. The priestess' final Pokémon was another Gastly, who, like its teammates, fell to Confusion.

"The one who most wants to win – will," said the priestess, closing her eyes and blowing out her candle. Lyra and Zephyr looked ahead, seeing a pair of tall candlesticks illuminating the area around Morty. Instead of pushing onward, Lyra stepped back, choosing instead to heal first before taking on the gym leader. Despite all the hard work she put in to training her Noctowl, it was best to not underestimate a gym leader. Zephyr lead the way back to the entrance of the gym, and they headed to the Pokémon Center.

After her Pokémon were healed to perfect health, Lyra went back to the gym, more than ready to challenge Morty. To her surprise, the priestesses had relit their candles, making it easier for her to navigate the path to Morty. It didn't take her long to reach the end where Morty stood. Lyra couldn't quite explain it, but he gave off a very intimidating aura, very different from the welcoming air he had around him when she first met him at Burned Tower. She swallowed the little saliva in her mouth, suddenly noticing how dry her mouth was. She took one step into the candlelight when suddenly—

_Ring! Ring!_

Lyra jumped from the sound of her ringing Pokégear. She dug through her bag and took out her Pokémon, seeing that a familiar person was calling.

"Howdy, Lyra! It's me, Joey," said the young boy on the phone. "How are you?"

"Joey, I'm in the middle of something important," said Lyra, turning around so that Morty wouldn't see her on her Pokégear.

"Hey, do you remember my super-cool Rattata? I'm sure my Rattata is different from regular Rattata. It's like my Rattata is in the top percentage of Rattata. Do you know what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, it's really awesome."

"Okay, bye!"

Lyra sighed, hanging up and putting away her Pokégear back in her bag. She turned to face Morty, surprised to see him covering his mouth with his hand to keep himself from laughing.

"It's good of you to have come," he said, now over his urge to laugh. "Here in Ecruteak, Pokémon have long been revered. It's said that a rainbow-hued Pokémon will come down to appear before a truly powerful trainer."

"Rainbow-hued Pokémon," asked Lyra, wondering if Professor Elm or Oak knew about it.

"I believed that tale," continued Morty, his tone growing more serious. "So I have secretly trained here all my life. As a result, I can now see what others cannot. I see a shadow of the person who will make the Pokémon appear. I believe that person is me! You're going to help me reach that level!"

He suddenly tossed a pokéball, releasing a Gastly, as Zephyr flew in front of Lyra to battle against it. Zephyr quickly used Confusion, taking out the Gastly. Morty frowned a bit but sent out his next Pokémon, a Haunter. Zephyr used Confusion, severely weakening the Haunter. To her luck, it caused the Haunter to become confused, hurting itself on accident as it tried to perform one of its attacks. This made it incapable of battling any further, prompting Morty to send out a large, dark Pokémon with red eyes. Lyra guessed that it might be the final evolution of Haunter.

"Gengar, use Hypnosis," said Morty, but it didn't worry Lyra much. The attack missed, but even if it did land, it would have no effect thanks to Zephyr's Insomnia ability. Lyra took this opportunity to have Zephyr attack with Confusion. It weakened the Gengar, but it healed itself with a Sitrus Berry it was holding. Lyra clenched her hand into a fist, knowing that this would probably make things a little more difficult. Gengar suddenly got close to Zephyr, hitting her with Sucker Punch, which seemed to hurt Zephyr than it normally would have. The Noctowl jumped back, countering with Confusion. It weakened Gengar further, and it also made it confused. Gengar tried to attack back, but it ended up hurting itself. Zephyr finished it off with Confusion, watching intently as it was called back to its pokéball.

"No, it's not over yet—Not yet," said Morty, sending out his final Pokémon, a Haunter. "I still believe we can do it!"

Lyra took a deep breath and then ordered Zephyr to use Confusion, weakening Haunter and making it confused. It was able to use Mean Look, now making it impossible to switch out Zephyr. Not that Lyra would do that; she was already close to the end of the battle, and there was no backing out now.

"We've got more discipline than anyone else," added Morty, staring down Lyra.

"I've got a lot of discipline myself," said Lyra, her loud voice surprising Zephyr. "It might not be as much as yours, but it's not something that can be ignored! Zephyr! Confusion!"

"Haunter, use Sucker Punch!"

Haunter pulled through its confused state and attacked Zephyr with a punch, but Zephyr countered with Confusion, knocking down the Haunter. When the Haunter was no longer able to get up and continue battling, Lyra knew that she had won this battle.

"All right! Good job, Zephyr," yelled Lyra, running up and hugging her Noctowl, who was a little embarrassed by this action. After the hug, she saw Morty staring at the ground, looking both disappointed and proud. But then, a calm smile appeared on his lips as he walked up to Lyra.

"I don't think our potentials are so different," he told her. "But you seem to have something more than that… So be it. This badge is yours."

He reached into his pocket, taking out and opening a silver case full of badges. He took out one, an almost circular dark purple badge with white markings that looked eerily like eyes, and handed it to Lyra, who eagerly put it away in her little velvet bag.

"By having the Fog Badge, stronger Pokémon, including traded Pokémon, will obey you. Also, Pokémon will be able to use Surf. Here is another thing… I want you to have this, too."

He picked up a cd case from a small stack that was right next to one of the candles and gave that to Lyra. She quickly put that away in a pocket of her bag.

"It's Shadow Ball," explained Morty. "It causes damage and may reduce Special Defense. Use it if it appeals to you."

"Wow, thanks, Morty! All the gym leaders I've met so far have been really nice. Oh, and tough, too."

"Hm, it seems that the person the Kimono Girls were talking about must be either you or that boy…"

"Huh? You mean Ethan?"

"Never mind. Anyway, you should be strong enough to go across the sea. Head west and then south, you'll reach Olivine City. Why don't you head for it?"

"Olivine City… Okay! That will be our next destination. Let's go, Zephyr!"

Lyra and Zephyr walked back to the entrance of the gym, happy to have won their fourth badge. Lyra stopped for a moment to check out the gym statues near the door, reading the inscription. It read, "Ecruteak Pokémon Gym; Leader: Morty; Certified Trainers: Lyra".

"Whoa, that was really fast," commented Lyra as she and her Pokémon left the gym.

* * *

><p>Leaf watched carefully as two Ponyta stood facing each other, neighing and kicking up dirt with their front hooves. She quickly jotted down their behavior into her notebook without taking her eyes off them. In the past, she made the mistake of looking down to write many times, often missing key traits of Pokémon behavior. It was obvious that the scene before here was an aggressive one. What wasn't obvious was that one of the Ponyta was a rogue, the other an alpha of its herd of ten. The herd was a new one, formed from the offspring of a herd of Rapidash that Leaf had tracked down and observed for many months. So, she knew that the alpha Ponyta was an inexperienced leader, and this conflict was vital for him to assert his dominance. One mistake and he'll end up giving up his "throne" to the rogue.<p>

Leaf quickly took out her camera as the aggression escalated to a fight, both Ponyta biting and kicking at each other. She snapped some photos, knowing this would be very useful for a report she planned to write for Professor Oak. She watched the alpha earn a bite to the neck, suddenly halting the fight. Leaf zoomed in with her camera, noticing a trail of blood from where he was bitten. It wasn't severe, but it was enough for the alpha to back down. She sighed, putting down the camera and writing down more notes. It seemed that the alpha had lost his position as leader, the rogue taking over and familiarizing himself with the other herd members. One of the members trotted up to the new leader, standing next to him with a rather proud stance. Leaf chuckled as she added the last of her notes, seeing that the new leader had attracted one of the females from the herd.

When the herd ran off, Leaf closed her notebook and put it away in her bag. She stood up from her hiding spot in the bushes, stretching her arms and legs. She dusted off the dirt from her pants and picked off the leaves stuck to her green shirt. She looked up at the midday sun, realizing she hadn't spoken to anyone from home for a couple days now. Leaf quietly sighed, knowing that Blue was going to bite her head off for not calling him every other day.

"If I can't see you, then at least call me so I know you're all right," he once told her as she was preparing to head out to the Sevii Island to research.

"Of course. I don't want my wife to worry so much," she said jokingly.

"You know, I was planning to make those stuffed pasta shells you like so much when you came back, but I don't think that's going to happen now."

"What? Blue! I was joking! I swear it was just a joke!"

Leaf laughed at the memory, remembering how that slowly turned into a fight between them. But, right before she boarded the ferry to the Sevii Islands, Blue kissed her goodbye, saying something that he wouldn't want a fight as a way to say goodbye to her and that he would make those stuffed pasta shells when she came back. That was about a year ago. There was no telling how he would react if she were to call him now after not communicating with him for so long. She mentally prepared herself as she took out her Pokégear and turned it on. Before she could dial Blue's number, an incoming call interrupted her, and it definitely wasn't a call she could ignore. Professor Oak was calling, and he didn't always call just to say "hi". She accepted the call, holding the Pokégear up to her ear.

"Hey, Gramps," said Leaf, unable to stop her smile. Just saying that reminded her of Blue.

"Leaf! You finally turned on your Pokégear! I was afraid it might be too late before I could get a hold of you."

"Oh, you know that I don't like to have any interruptions when I'm observing the Pokémon. It's not really fun to be chased off by Pokémon just because my phone rang," she laughed, remembering all the times some Pokémon species angrily chased after her for discovering she was in their territory. Leaf stopped laughing, suddenly realizing what the professor said.

"Wait, what do you mean by 'too late'," she asked, wondering what was going on.

"There's a bit of a situation over in Johto, and I doubt you'll like the details."

* * *

><p>Leaf unlocked the door, barging in to the apartment. She only saw a glimpse of a surprised Blue and Eevee sitting on the couch before closing the door and rushing to the bedroom. She set her bag on the bed and opened up the closet, yanking off her clothes from the hangers. She heard Blue walk in, watching her look through her clothes and throw them at her bag.<p>

"Oh, hi, Blue," said Blue, mimicking Leaf. "Nice to see you home. What were you doing the past couple days?"

"I've been really busy at the gym, beating down challengers and sometimes losing to them," replied Leaf, holding up a dress but deciding against bringing any.

"Okay, seriously, what the hell are you doing? When you ran over here, I thought you were eager to have s—"

"There's no time for that when Team Rocket is back! I'm packing up some clothes because two kids over in Johto need my help."

"Team Rocket? But didn't you…?"

"I did, or so I thought," said Leaf in a low voice, walking back to the bed. She quickly folded her shirts, skirts, and pants, along with many pairs of underwear, and stuffed them in her bag.

"Leaf, what if they recognize you," asked Blue, his voice calm. "I know if I were them, I wouldn't forget the person who ruined my plans of getting something."

"And? It's not a big deal if they remember me; I'm not going to turn away from someone who needs my help."

Blue stood quiet, which bothered Leaf since he wasn't usually so silent. From the corner of her eye, she could see him staring at the floor, Eevee rubbing against her trainer's legs affectionately. With her things ready, Leaf slung the strap of her bag around her shoulder and opened up a drawer of her nightstand. She took out her white hat, straightening it out before placing it on her head. Now she was ready, but there was still one last thing to do. She walked up to Blue and looked up at him, the height difference so noticeable between them.

"This is when I'd normally tell you to not worry about me," said Leaf, chuckling a little. "But, that's impossible, isn't it? So, I'll make a promise. I promise that I'll come back safe and sound when this is all over, and I'll call you every once in a while."

"You need to promise not to do anything stupid."

"Okay, I promise not to do anything stupid."

She stood on her tip-toes, and he closed the distance between them, placing a soft kiss on her lips. She broke away, smiling up at him.

"You know, I can see if those kids will be good challengers for you," she said, slowly walking to the front door. "They should be kind of good since Gramps gave them a Pokédex."

"Didn't they barely start their journey a couple days ago? They're probably not good, yet. But, we'll see much later."

Leaf nodded, giving Blue one last hug before walking out the door.

"Leaf," yelled Blue as she walked down the hall to the stairs. "If you don't keep your promise, I'm going to be really pissed off!"

"Love you, too," called back Leaf, descending down the stairs. She took a deep breath, prepared for whatever lied ahead. She had no idea why Team Rocket has returned, but there was one thing she was sure of: They were going to be stopped just like what happened three years ago.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: This chapter isn't very long, but I need some pacing. Notice that there aren't any italic sections? Anyway, I'm sorry this took a while to update. It's been really hectic lately for me. That, and I've also been distracted by Tumblr. That site is ruining my life, ha. Hm, looks like the moment everyone has been waiting for is getting real close, the moment when Joey doesn't call about his Rattata. Just kidding! Seriously, I know everyone has been expecting Leaf to join up with Ethan and Lyra. Thanks to all who have read and reviewed! I really appreciate it!**_


	11. Sick Moomoo and Amphy

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 2: Finding True Power

"So, Lyra, are you ready to head on to Olivine City," asked Ethan as his friend approached him at the western gate of Ecruteak City. His Growlithe sat obediently next to him, watching its unfamiliar companions get close.

"Yep! My Pokémon are all healed, so we're ready to go," she replied enthusiastically, her Quilava looking quite eager to explore the land ahead.

"All right, then let's go. I already checked my Pokégear to see how far it is, and it's actually close by. We should arrive there in about thirty minutes, at most."

Lyra nodded, and they both walked through the gate to arrive in Route 38. The road split into three different paths, two seemingly part of the main road while the other lead into the grass. Ethan and Lyra decided to split up and meet at the end of the route. It would also help them get some experience since there were trainers farther ahead that were ready for a fight. Being that Zephyr was the strongest of the team, Lyra had to battle with her other Pokémon so that they could be even in strength. And she also managed to get two Pokégear numbers from a Lass and School Kid. Though the School Kid only wanted her number just because he wanted to talk about Professor Oak. Still, she didn't mind having more calling buddies. It'd give her some variety while she was out training and exploring.

As Lyra reorganized her contact list, her Pokégear began ringing. The Caller I.D. revealed that it was Professor Oak himself. She answered, wondering what it was he was calling about.

"Lyra? I have good news for you," said Professor Oak, his voice obviously cheery.

"Is it about Leaf," asked Lyra, hoping that the older trainer accepted the request for help.

"Yes, and she's already on her way to Johto. You and Ethan are in Cianwood now, correct?"

"Actually, we just left Ecruteak and are heading over to Olivine City."

"Hm, I expected you two to be much further ahead. Anyway, Leaf told me that she'll be waiting for you at Olivine City since I thought you were in Cianwood."

"Professor, how would we be able to recognize Leaf?"

"You'll know it when you see her. Besides, she knows about you and Ethan, so it wouldn't be a problem for her to find you."

"If you say so," said Lyra, a little skeptical about the situation. She hung up her Pokégear after saying goodbye, stuffed it in her bag, and power-walked to meet up with Ethan soon. She didn't expect to find him talking to an old man in a formal brown suit.

"That Pokédex sure brings back memories," remarked the older man. "I haven't seen one in ages! I'm Baoba, by the way."

"I'm Ethan," introduced Ethan, shaking the man's hand. Lyra carefully approached, unsure whether to stay back or to step in and interrupt.

"Oh, and this is Lyra," added Ethan, pointing at Lyra. "She also has a Pokédex."

"Nice to meet the both of you! I'll have you know that I used to run a Safari Zone in Fuchsia City, but it grew out of date what with the new entertainment the kids are into. So, I decided to go overseas to learn the newest technology and open a state-of-the-art Safari Zone in Cianwood."

"I have to admit that it's a really good business plan," said Ethan, thinking over what Baoba said.

"I have the feeling that it's more than coincidence that we met. Why don't we register each other's numbers? I can give you a call once the Safari Zone is open before I call anyone else!"

"It sounds like a lot of fun," said Lyra, wondering what the Safari Zone will look like. "Right, Ethan?"

"It's really tempting," muttered Ethan, quietly making a decision. "Okay, let's exchange numbers. This sounds like a good opportunity to not miss."

"That's the way," said Baoba, taking out his Pokégear to add in the new numbers. "I'll call you right away once it's ready!"

After exchanging numbers, Baoba had to leave so he can supervise the construction for the Safari Zone. Lyra and Ethan waved goodbye to him, hoping that the Safari Zone will open soon. It was when Lyra was putting away her Pokégear that she remembered her talk with Professor Oak earlier.

"Ethan! I almost forgot," she said suddenly, surprising Ethan. "Professor Oak called me to tell us that Leaf is waiting for us in Olivine City!"

"No kidding? Then we should get there right away… Right after I tip over a sleeping Miltank," said Ethan, walking toward the field with four Miltank grazing.

"Don't do that! That's mean," she yelled, grabbing onto the back of his sweater and digging her heels into the ground.

"Jeez, Lyra, I was just kidding! But I did want to check out that farm."

"Isn't that the Moomoo Farm? The farm that supplies most of the milk in Johto and Kanto?"

"I'm sure it is. Let's see if they can give us a tour or something."

Ethan and Lyra walked over to the farm. However, a closed gate denied any entrance to the farm. Luckily, a farmer was walking out of a barn nearby, looking worried and rather stressed out.

"Hey! Is this farm closed on holiday," yelled Ethan, getting the farmer's attention.

"Not holiday, but illness," he said, walking toward the gate. "One o' my Miltank caught some bug, and she's too sick to make milk. We're struggling tah get by on the other Miltank, but ol' Moomoo has tah get better soon. We need oran berries, but we're too darn busy to go get any."

"Oran Berries, eh? Hm…"

Ethan pulled open his backpack, checking the berry pocket for any oran berries.

"I have a couple in my bag. What about you, Lyra?"

"Um," muttered Lyra, looking through her own bag. "I have some, too. Will it be enough for the sick Miltank?"

"There's only one way to find out. Hey, Farmer Guy—"

"I do have a name, ya know. It's John," interrupted the farmer, annoyed by the nickname. "Anywho, ya'll get 'n here and go feed Moomoo the berries. She's in that there barn."

John opened up the gate, allowing Lyra and Ethan to step onto the property. They went straight for the barn John mentioned, seeing separate stables inside filled with hay. In one of the stables was a weak Miltank, two girls kneeling beside the Miltank and doing their best to take care of it.

"Who're you," asked one girl, standing up in alarm.

"We're here to give Moomoo some oran berries," replied Ethan, opening up his backpack. Ethan took out the oran berries from his backpack pocket, holding it out for the Miltank to eat. She slowly ate one berry at a time, chewing for about three minutes per berry. It eventually ate all four of Ethan's oran berries, leaving Lyra to feed her the ones she had. Even though the Miltank was chewing dreadfully slow, Lyra noticed that it had more energy, taking all three berries from Lyra's hands in one bite. After it had finished its meal, the Miltank looked just as healthy as the other Miltank in the field.

"Moomoo is totally healthy again," said one of the girls happily. "Thank you! You can have these Seal Cases for your trouble!"

The little girl picked up square, blue cases that were sitting on a block of hay, handing them to Ethan and Lyra.

"Did you know that you can customize your pokéballs? You can customize them on any PC by putting seals on capsules, then putting the capsules on your pokéballs. Sis! Give them some seals!"

"Okay, here are some spare seals I have," said the other girl, digging in her pants pocket and pulling out some folded pieces of paper. The paper was far from ordinary since they had a distinct code – one Lyra wasn't familiar with – inscribed into them. They did, however, had some kind of design to them.

"Well, I'll be," said a voice from behind, surprising everyone. A middle-aged woman in a red dress and white apron stepped inside the barn, carrying a wooden crate full of bottled milk.

"You fixed our Miltank," she said with wonder.

"It wasn't broken like a computer," said Ethan under his breath, earning an elbow to the arm from Lyra.

"Thank ya, kindly! Here's somethin' fer your trouble!"

She pulled out two cd cases from her apron with her left hand, carefully holding the crate with the other. She tossed the cd cases to Ethan and Lyra, Ethan catching his while Lyra caught and almost dropped hers because she wasn't expecting that.

"That there's Natural Gift," she explained, now properly holding the crate. "It's move type and power will depend on what berry yer Pokémon holds. But the berry will be used up after, so you best think how you ought to use it, hon."

"Thanks for all the gifts," said Lyra, putting away her Seal Case and TM in her bag. "You've given us so much already."

"It's the least we can do fer ya good deed. Is a good thing to have people like ya around. The world needs more kind people."

After saying their goodbyes, Ethan and Lyra left the Moomoo Farm, very content with what they did. For now, the duo had to head over to Olivine City and search for Leaf, wherever she was. A couple of Pokémon battles slowed them down, battles that happened to be _very_ close to the city. Having their destination so close yet so far away grew even more dreadful when they were asked for their Pokégear numbers. After their last battle, they ran the rest of the way to Olivine, eventually running under a rope that had flags hanging from it. The paved street beneath their feet had a circular pattern to it, already giving the duo the impression that this city had its own style just like every town and city they've visited thus far. Though the most noticeable feature of this city was the lighthouse sitting on the cliff near the sea.

"I wonder where Leaf is," asked Lyra, following Ethan as they walked down the street. The sea breeze was calm, carrying the smell of salt with it that gave a relaxing atmosphere for the city.

"I don't know, but I already found the gym here," replied Ethan, pointing at the building that was rather close to the city's exit. "We really should find the Pokémon Center, though."

Right as they were about to walk by the gym, the glass doors of the gym suddenly opened, a familiar red-haired boy walking out.

"You again," said Lyra and Silver at the same time, displeased to see each other. Cynder and Growlithe growled at Silver, preparing for the upcoming battle.

"There's no need to be alert," said Silver, smirking. "I don't bother with wimps like you."

"Ethan, I think he has short-term memory loss because he already forgot that he lost to me in our last battle in Burned Tower," said Lyra in a low voice, leaning close to Ethan so he can hear.

"Heh, that would explain everything," agreed Ethan, trying not to laugh.

"Speaking of weaklings," continued Silver, irritated by what he heard from them. "The city's gym leader isn't here, and is supposedly taking care of a sick Pokémon at the Lighthouse. She shouldn't be wasting her time on sick Pokémon! A Pokémon that can't battle is worthless!"

"Hey, not all Pokémon have to battle," countered Ethan, crossing his arms over his chest. "Some Pokémon do help out people in other ways, like in Pokémon Centers or the police force. And other Pokémon are just pets and companions to some people, too. Your logic doesn't seem to have much proof."

"How about you just go train at the lighthouse? It might make you a better trainer."

Silver stormed off, leaving the city the way Ethan and Lyra entered. They doubted they'd see him anytime soon. They continued on, following the street until they saw the Pokémon Center. Inside, there were more people than any other Pokémon Center they've been to. They handed their pokéballs to the nurse, waiting a few minutes for their Pokémon to be healed by the machine.

"Oh, you're trainers," asked a brown-haired woman in a black dress that approached them after they received their Pokémon. "Is it all right to ask for a battle? I just finished working on a little something and I want to test it out."

"Anything for you, pretty lady," said Ethan, releasing Growlithe from its pokéball. Lyra took a couple steps back, hoping that they wouldn't get into any trouble for battling inside a Pokémon Center. The woman tossed her pokéball, a small shower of pink flower petals falling over a small green Pokémon with flowers on its head. Growlithe didn't waste any time in using Fire Fang to attack, knocking out the opposing Pokémon quickly.

"Ah, Bellossom," said the woman, worry in her voice. "Well, it's okay. You guys did see my pokéball, right?"

"Yeah," said Lyra, amazed by the flower petals she saw earlier. "What was that? Did you buy that pokéball from somewhere?"

"Actually, this is just a regular old pokéball. You can turn pokéballs into your own special creations by adding seals. Wouldn't it be cool to have special pokéballs that only you have? Just be sure to remember to put the Ball Capsule on the pokéball once it's ready! Oh, and you'll also need a special case for it, but I can't remember where you can get it."

"That's all right," said Ethan, watching Growlithe walk back to him. "We already have some of our own."

The woman gave a quick nod, walking over to the front counter where the nurse was. With nothing else to do, they walked out of the Pokémon Center, ready to explore the city. And it certainly was a treat to have seen a capsule in action during a Pokémon battle.

"You ready, Lyra," asked Ethan, looking over at his friend. "We should split up to find Leaf faster. Whoever finds her first has to call the other, okay?"

"Sure thing! I hope it doesn't take too long to—"

"Get out of the way," yelled a voice that scared both Lyra and Ethan. They looked up to see a Pidgeot diving down at them, causing them to jump out of the way or else they would have crashed. They stood back, watching the large bird descend toward them. The Pidgeot flapped its large wings rapidly to make a smoother landing, kicking up some wind that almost blew away their hats. It stood proudly in front of the Pokémon Center, a figure jumping off its back. The figure turned out to be a girl with long brown hair and a white hat on her head. She wore blue pants and a pastel green shirt, her white shoes complimenting the white hat.

"We're finally in Olivine City," she said, giving the Pidgeot a quick pet on the head. "Now let's go find those kids and look for Team Rocket!"

"Y-you're Leaf," asked Ethan and Lyra at the same time, surprised to finally meet their senior.

"Yeah, that's me," she said, smiling. "Why? You need something from me? Hold on… Are you two Ethan and Lyra?"

"Yes, that's us," yelled Lyra with excitement, running up to Leaf with Ethan close behind. "I'm so happy to finally meet you!"

She shook Leaf's hand very energetically, making Leaf giggle.

"And I'm glad that you agreed to help us," added Ethan, shaking her hand firmly when Lyra was done. "Though, I expected you to be taller. Even Lyra is taller than you."

Lyra observed the height difference between herself and Leaf, realizing that she was taller than Leaf by about three inches.

"You're right, Ethan," agreed Lyra. "It's kind of funny because I'm younger than Leaf."

"I'm not that short," said Leaf, unable to bear any more hits concerning her height. "Besides, what does my height have to do with my seniority over you two?"

"So, you're short _and_ old," asked Ethan, trying not to laugh.

"That… That wasn't what I meant."

"I say, is that who I think it is," said a voice from Ethan's backpack. "Uncultured child! Release me from the confines of this backpack so I can see who that is!"

"You don't even have any eyes, you moron," said Ethan, taking out his Pokédex.

"Ah! It's you! It's a great pleasure to see you again!"

"Why are you talking like that," asked Leaf, a puzzled look on her face from hearing the Pokédex's accent.

"That's because he's a snobby fancy-pants," said Lyra's Pokédex from her bag, causing Lyra to take it out as well. "Hey, girly. You're still short as ever. How's that jerk of a Pokédex doing?"

Leaf quietly turned around and walked up to the left-side wall of the Pokémon Center, smacking her head against it.

"All that work for nothing," she said dejectedly, shocking Lyra and Ethan.

"Ms. Leaf! What are you doing," yelled Lyra, pulling Leaf away from the wall.

"I'm just disappointed that the Pokédexes you have are glitched, even though I helped work on them to prevent that. Oh, well."

It was quiet for a moment as Ethan and Lyra put away their Pokédexes to keep Leaf from getting any more disappointed. That's what they assumed, anyway.

"So," began Leaf, looking around the street. "Where's Team Rocket so I can put them back in their place?"

"We're not really sure," replied Ethan, shrugging a little. "Right now, we were about to look for you, but I guess there's a change of plans now. But, I was thinking of going to the lighthouse because we heard there's a sick Pokémon there."

"A sick Pokémon? If I remember correctly, I heard that the Pokémon in the lighthouse is the source of the light. It really isn't good if it's sick now."

"Lighthouse it is, then," said Lyra, leading the way with Cynder following. The group followed the street to the cliff, where the lighthouse stood. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below was very audible, yet soothing. Ethan pushed open the heavy door of the lighthouse, which had surprisingly decent interior decorating. Potted plants, tables, blue wooden floor, and the light gray tiles surrounding the wooden floor gave the room a calm atmosphere. Just across the room was an elevator, which everyone instinctively went to since it would be much faster to get to upper levels. However, an "Out of Order" sign destroyed their idea of taking the elevator.

"Looks like we'll have to take the stairs," sighed Ethan, dreading the long ascent toward the room at the top of the lighthouse.

"That's not going to be easy," said a sailor that was leaning against the wall near the stairs. "People train at this lighthouse, so don't expect to get to the top without a fight."

"That won't be a problem! Not when we have Leaf with us. You can take them all on, right?"

"Actually, you and Lyra are going to have to battle," replied Leaf, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "You guys still need more experience, and I'm not going to be your shortcut on anything you have to do. Remember, I'm only here to help out, not to do all the work."

"She has a point, Ethan," added Lyra, switching out Cynder for Cascade. "This is our journey, not hers. And we did only ask for her to help us with Team Rocket."

"I'm also going to observe how you battle and train. We're all going to have to be at our best to take on Team Rocket."

"Then we'll show you what we're made of," said Ethan, heading up the stairs. "We'll start with the next battle!"

Leaf and Lyra ran after Ethan to the second floor, only to find Ethan being challenged by an older man. The man sent out a Noctowl while Ethan switched out Growlithe and sent out his Flaaffy. The Noctowl took the opportunity to use Reflect, raising its defenses. Flaaffy used Thundershock to weaken the Noctowl, who used Peck to attack. However, the physical contact between them caused Noctowl to be paralyzed thanks to Flaaffy's Static ability. Flaaffy took this chance to finish off the Noctowl with another Thundershock, ending the battle.

"Now that we've made each other's acquaintance, shall we trade phone numbers for future battles," asked the gentleman, returning his Noctowl to its pokéball.

"Um, sure," said Ethan, adding the gentleman's number to his Pokégear. "Lyra, is it okay if I give this guy your number, too?"

Lyra nodded, walking ahead to run into another sailor. However, unlike the sailor downstairs, this one wanted to battle. Leaf stood back, watching intently as Lyra's Quagsire began to battle against a Poliwag. She wondered why the younger trainer was using a same type Pokémon when it should be easier to use an Electric-type. The Poliwag used Water Gun, which obviously didn't do much damage to Cascade. Cascade turned and slammed Poliwag with her tail, knocking out Poliwag. Both trainers switched out their pokemon, sending out a Poliwhirl and Flaaffy.

This time, it was too obvious who had the advantage over the other. Leaf watched the Poliwhirl attack with Double-Slap, hurting Voltage a bit. The attack annoyed Voltage, who angrily zapped the Poliwhirl with Thundershock and defeating it.

"That's the first time I've lost in a while," said the Sailor, offering his hand to Lyra. "Can I get your number? You look like you'd be fun to battle, so I'll call you when I get stronger!"

"Yeah, I don't mind," replied Lyra, shaking his hand. Right as Lyra added her new contact, her Pokégear began to ring.

"Hello," she asked as Ethan joined the group again.

"I saw! I heard," said the voice on the other line, one she knew was Irwin. "You beat Morty of Ecruteak Gym! That's just incredible! I actually went to the gym's entrance to cheer you on."

"Wh-what?"

Lyra didn't even see the juggler at the entrance nor did she hear anyone enter the gym. Or was she so focused on the battle against Morty that she didn't even notice? She hoped that that's what it was.

"Yeah, but everyone had these candles on their heads, it was kinda creepy," continued Irwin. "So I chickened out and took off for home."

"Oh, that's why I didn't see you," thought Lyra, sighing in relief. "And what's a 'chicken'?"

"Thanks for cheering me on," said Lyra, happy that she already had a fan. "I'll try to get more gym badges soon!"

"Okay, call you later!"

"Sounds like you have a fan," sang Leaf, as they all walked to the ladder nearby. "Reminds me of the trainer fanclub over in Saffron City. If you guys ever visit Kanto, you should probably go visit there! But, I think you should make a name for yourselves first. How many badges do you have so far?"

"Four," replied Ethan and Lyra in unison.

"Only halfway? Well, that's expected of new trainers. It took me a while to get my fifth badge, but lots of stuff was going on at the time. It looks like it's the same for you two."

The group fell silent when they approached the ladder and returned their Pokémon to their pokéballs to make it easier for them, quietly going up the next two floors to reach a large room. There were two trainers here, which Ethan and Lyra decided to battle one. Leaf moved on ahead, heading outside. However, even from outside, she can clearly see the battles inside the lighthouse. She could see that they didn't have a full team of Pokémon yet. She sighed, remembering that she didn't have a full team herself until she received her Lapras from that scientist in Silph.

"Sorry for the wait, Leaf," said Lyra, quickly walking outside after winning her prize money. "I guess it's kind of annoying for you to wait for us, huh?"

"No, it's fine. But I was wondering what kind of Pokémon you have with you now," asked Leaf, curious to see the other Pokémon.

"Oh, I have a Quilava named Cynder – he's my starter – and a Noctowl named Zephyr. Then there's Cascade, my Quagsire, and Voltage the Flaaffy. The other three are all girls, so Cynder is in a middle of a harem."

"A harem?"

"Don't mind Lyra. She reads too much manga," said Ethan, readjusting his hat. "I have a Bayleef, Togetic, Gyarados, Flaaffy, and a Growlithe."

"You have a Togetic," asked Leaf excitedly, remembering her own Togetic back home in Pallet.

"Yeah, he evolved a while back before I battled Morty. Why?"

"I have one, too, back home! By the way, I've heard that Togetic can evolve further with help from a special stone. I don't know yet what it is, but I know the stone is very rare. It won't be easy to find one."

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind. So, ready to continue on up?"

Lyra and Leaf nodded, entering the next room. This one had another two trainers there, but they were beaten quickly since they didn't have many Pokémon with them. There was another set of ladders that helped them ascend two more floors, entering yet another room with two sailors. Ethan and Lyra did their best to defeat them as fast as possible because they really wanted to see the sick Pokémon at the top of the lighthouse. After climbing one more ladder, the three finally reached the room where the sick Pokémon was, which turned out to be an Ampharos, as well as Jasmine. The gym leader wore a light blue dress with a white cardigan over it, a large red bow holding it together.

"If you're here to get me to return to the gym, I'll have to refuse," said Jasmine, who was kneeling beside the sick Ampharos. "I'm not leaving Amphy alone just for a battle."

"That's the sick Pokémon," asked Lyra, watching the Ampharos wheeze as it slept.

"This Pokémon always kept the sea lit at night… But it suddenly got sick. Even now, he's gasping for air."

Leaf kneeled down beside the Ampharos, placing a hand on its head.

"How long has he been sick," she asked Jasmine.

"Oh, um, almost three weeks now."

"Three weeks? That's too long."

Leaf stood up, staring out the large windows of lighthouse in thought.

"What is it, Leaf," asked Ethan, watching her from the corner of his eye.

"That Ampharos obviously has pneumonia. If he isn't cured soon, there's a chance that he may die from it."

"D-die," gasped Lyra, unable to even imagine a Pokémon dying. "What can we do to help? I mean, we can't just let the poor thing die from some sickness!"

"There is one thing we can do," replied Jasmine, standing up and dusting off her dress. "I've heard of a wonderful pharmacy in Cianwood. But that's across the sea, and I can't leave Amphy unattended. May I ask you to get some medicine for me?"

"Of course we will," said Ethan, almost scoffing at the idea of just ignoring Amphy. "We're not heartless enough to let a Pokémon suffer. We'll be back soon before you even know it!"

"Take this Pokémon with you," said Leaf, handing Lyra a pokéball. "He should help you to cross the sea safely. I'll stay here with Jasmine to help. I'm sure she'll need some breaks from watching over Amphy."

"Are you sure, Leaf," asked Lyra, placing the pokéball in her bag safely.

"It's fine. Besides, Rain won't listen to you if you use him in battle, so it's best to have him help you cross the sea instead. And you're only going straight to Cianwood to get medicine, right? It shouldn't take more than an hour to get there."

"How do you know that?"

"I've already seen most of Johto three years ago. You two should get going now."

Jasmine walked over to a metal door nearby, opening it up by entering a number combination.

"You can take the elevator to the bottom floor," she said, earning confused glances from the three. "What is it?"

"You mean that the elevator worked this entire time," asked Ethan with disbelief.

"Yes, it does. Oh! You must have seen the sign I placed on the first floor. I put that there to keep people from bothering Amphy. I'm actually surprised that my plan's working."

"Yeah, okay, we'll be going now."

Ethan quietly walked to the elevator with Lyra following him. They were silent as they entered the elevator, feeling the movement of the machine as it descended to the first floor.

"This whole time… We could have taken the elevator," said Ethan, rather depressed that he didn't check on the elevator to see if it worked despite the sign.

"It's okay, Ethan," chuckled Lyra, placing her hand on his shoulder. "The elevator isn't the problem right now."

The elevator stopped, its doors opening to the first floor of the lighthouse. They ran out, dashing through the room until they were outside again. They ran down the street, Ethan checking his Pokégear to see where, exactly, was Cianwood City. The map on the Pokégear indicated that it was southwest of Olivine, near a set of islands. Ethan closed up the Pokégear as they reached Route 40, which was a small beach. Small waves crashed against the shore, the rhythmic sound giving a relaxed atmosphere. Unfortunately, it wasn't the time for relaxing.

"Look, there are islands over there," said Lyra, pointing to the four islands in the distance.

"Those are the Whirl Islands," explained Ethan, taking out Gyarados' pokéball and releasing him from it. "Don't get too close to them because there are whirlpools around them."

"Whirlpools? Hm… I wonder what kind secret is hiding in those islands."

"For now, it's out of our reach. Anyway, we should get going."

Ethan climbed on his Gyarados while Lyra nodded, taking out the pokéball Leaf lent her. She tossed the pokéball toward the water, releasing the Pokémon within it. Lyra screamed at the sight, causing Ethan to jump from surprise.

"What? What is it," said Ethan in panic.

"Leaf's Pokémon is so adorable! It's… It's… Ah! I want it," gushed Lyra at the Lapras staring at her in confusion.

"That's it? Stop fangirling and get on it. That Ampharos isn't going to wait forever for us!"

"Right. Sorry."

Lyra carefully approached the Lapras, who looked around for his trainer.

"Um, hi," said Lyra, giving a small wave. "Your name is Rain, right? Leaf told me that you can help me across the sea. I'd really appreciate you helping me because we have to get medicine for a sick Ampharos."

Rain gave a brief stare at Lyra before turning around for her to jump on his back.

"Ah, thanks," said Lyra, climbing onto his shell. "Next stop is Cianwood!"

Initially, the duo believed that they would arrive in Cianwood in no time at all. Of course, things don't always go according to plan. There was still one big obstacle in their way, and that obstacle was the many swimmers seen in the water. It seemed like the universe was against them getting anywhere on time. Lyra had to admit that it was really awkward to have Pokémon battles in the sea. She only used Zephyr, whose flying abilities kept her safe above water, and Cascade, who was a natural swimmer. Though, in some battles, she had to resort to Voltage because her electric attacks were much stronger against the Water-type Pokémon the swimmers used. In those times, Lyra was glad that Rain provided some solid "ground" for her Flaaffy to use.

During one of her battles – Ethan was a little further ahead, held back by a battle of his own – she noticed that Voltage was rather restless, more eager than usual to fight. Her behavior worried Lyra, who wondered if her Pokémon was developing a very aggressive personality. Had she been paying more attention to Voltage, she would have already noticed that the Flaaffy had a natural aggression toward other Pokémon. However, in this case, Voltage was restless from an entirely different reason. As Voltage finished off a swimmer's final Tentacool with Thundershock, her body suddenly began glowing a familiar light. Lyra quickly took out her Pokédex to see what Pokémon her Flaaffy was evolving into.

"What's Voltage evolving into," she asked her Pokédex.

"Why are you asking me? I have no idea what her evolution is," it replied.

"You're a Pokédex! Isn't this your job?"

"I can't tell you what I don't know, you idiot! Just wait until your Flaaffy is done evolving!"

Lyra looked up, watching Voltage's body grow much larger than before yet somewhat familiar as well. When the light faded, an Ampharos stood proudly on Rain's back.

"Congratulations," said Lyra's Pokédex. "Your Voltage evolved into Ampharos."

"I can see that."

"Wait, if you already knew what an Ampharos was, why the hell did you ask me to tell you?"

"Because I didn't know that Flaaffy evolve into Ampharos!"

"How could you _not_ know? It's obvious if you look closely at their similarities! I swear, you are beyond stupid."

Lyra angrily stuffed the Pokédex back in her bag, regretting that she had asked for its help. However, she quickly calmed herself as she looked at Voltage's new form. The Ampharos was definitely larger than her previous form, now a bright yellow instead of pink. She had lost all her wool but had the same-looking tail and orb, though the orb was in a different color and the tail had an extra ring. She also had a jewel in the middle of her forehead. In the end, she was identical to the Ampharos in the lighthouse. Yet, Lyra knew too well that Voltage was very different from Amphy and other Ampharos.

"One of a kind," said Lyra, petting Voltage on the head. Voltage looked away in embarrassment, making Lyra chuckle.

"C'mon, don't start acting like that tsundere! Then again, it does make you cuter."

"Lyra! I can already see Cianwood," called out Ethan a couple of feet away. "We're almost there!"

"All right, just hang on a little longer, Amphy. We're almost there. Rain, go follow Ethan's Gyarados!"

The Lapras swam after the large, intimidating Pokémon, the sandy beach of Cianwood getting closer. There were rocks that kept the stronger waves from hitting the shore, making the water calm near the sand. Eventually, they touched shore, returning the water Pokémon back to their pokéballs. Even though it was called "Cianwood City", it didn't look much like a city. It actually looked more like a town, especially with the wooden houses.

"Lyra, you should go heal you Pokémon at the PokéCenter," suggested Ethan, looking at the small wooden buildings. "I'll go look for the pharmacy that has the medicine we need for Amphy. It shouldn't take long."

They parted, Lyra casually walking to the Pokémon Center. She stopped and took out Cynder's pokéball, releasing him so he can walk with her. The Quilava looked happy to see her, standing up on his hind legs to get a better view of the new city they were in.

"Cynder, did you know that Voltage evolved," asked Lyra, kneeling down so she was eye-level with her Pokémon. "She's really tall now. Not as much as me, but it's a big difference."

Cynder's ears perked up at what she said, then drooped down as he stared at the ground.

"Huh? Cynder, are you okay?"

"I think he's depressed," said Lyra's Pokédex from her bag. "He's the only one in your team that isn't fully evolved. Way to go, jerkass, for making your Pokémon feel this way."

"How is this my fault," retorted Lyra, annoyed by her Pokédex's insults. "Don't Pokémon grow up differently? Anyway, it's going to be okay, Cynder! You'll evolve again soon, I'm sure of it! Wait a minute… Hey, Pokédex! How did you know that Cynder isn't fully evolved?"

"If there's one thing I'm sure from being in Professor Oak's lab is that starter Pokémon usually evolve about two times. Well, the ones from Kanto are the only ones I know, but I'm sure it also applies to the Pokémon Professor Elm had. See? I may not know everything, but I definitely know more than you, dumbass!"

Lyra sighed and was about to roll her eyes when something caught her eye. It was a blur and, oddly enough, it seemed to dash through the ocean. Whatever it was, it sure was fast. From the way it passed by, Lyra figured that it was heading north of the city. She doubted it would stay very long and may end up being a waste of time to see what it was, but her curiosity was enough to push away her doubts. She began to walk to where the blur headed, Cynder following loyally behind her. It didn't take long for her to discover what the blur was. What surprised her was that it was a very familiar Pokémon, one she'd seen back in the Burned Tower of Ecruteak City.

"S-Suicune," muttered Lyra, staring in surprise at the sky-blue Pokémon. Cynder jumped in front of Lyra, ready to protect his trainer should Suicune suddenly attack. Suicune roared, making Cynder tremble in fear. He held his ground, watching with Lyra as Suicune suddenly dashed around them. It stared at Lyra again, this time more intent than before. The stare made Lyra feel uneasy because it felt like she was being analyzed. Was Suicune seeing how strong she was at the moment? Suicune looked away and ran off again, gracefully running over the ocean waves as it disappeared into the distance.

"Wasn't that Suicune just now," asked a breathless voice. Lyra and Cynder looked to see Eusine running toward them, stopping to look in the direction that Suicune ran off to.

"I only caught a quick glimpse, but I thought I saw Suicune running on the waves," he continued, regaining his breath.

"It definitely was Suicune," confirmed Lyra, smiling up at him. "I don't think I can a forget a Pokémon like that."

"And how can you forget it? Suicune is beautiful and grand! And it races through towns and roads at simply awesome speeds. It's too wonderful a Pokémon to forget, but… I really want to see Suicune up close."

"Maybe you can lure it out with some bait or something?"

"No, I'll battle you instead."

"Wait – what?"

"If I defeat you as a trainer, I'll earn Suicune's respect! Come on, Lyra. We're going to battle now!"

Eusine grabbed a pokéball that was clipped to his waist, tossing it to send out a Drowzee. Lyra took a couple of steps back as she told Cynder to use a Flame Wheel. Cynder charged at Drowzee, his body covered in flames as he rolled straight into the Drowzee. However, the Drowzee endured the hit and took advantage of Cynder being close enough to use Hypnosis. The move put Cynder to sleep, worrying Lyra that he won't wake up in time to defeat the Drowzee. The opposing Pokémon followed up with Dream Eater, hurting Cynder in his sleep as it regained health. As Cynder continued sleeping, despite Lyra yelling to wake him up, Drowzee attacked with Confusion, weakening Cynder further. He finally woke up in time before Drowzee could use Dream Eater again, charging at Drowzee again with another Flame Wheel. Cynder backed off a bit and tackled Drowzee with Quick Attack, knocking it out.

Lyra called back Cynder, sending out her Quagsire as Eusine sent out his Electrode. Cascade, thanks to a Quick Claw Lyra had found in the National Park, attacked first with Mud Shot, lowering Electrode's speed. It weakened the Electrode as it used Screech, causing Cascade to flinch from the noise. Electrode took this opportunity to use SonicBoom, hurting Cascade a bit. She tried to retaliate with Mud Bomb but the attack missed. Using her Quick Claw, Cascade tried attacking again with Mud Bomb, successfully hitting Electrode and defeating it.

Lyra sighed in relief as she switched out Cascade for Zephyr, watching Eusine send out a Haunter. The Haunter immediately gave a menacing look to Zephyr, ensuring that she wouldn't be able to escape from the battle. However, Zephyr was unfazed by this, using Confusion to attack and severely weaken Haunter. The enemy tried to counter with Hypnosis, but Zephyr's ability Insomnia kept the move from being effective. With that, Zephyr used another Confusion to finish off the Haunter, bringing the battle to an end. Lyra returned Zephyr, sending Cynder out to have some time outside.

"I hate to admit it but you won," said Eusine with disappointment, returning Haunter to its pokéball. Lyra felt bad for winning because it seemed like she stopped him from earning Suicune's respect. Maybe she should have purposely lost to help him out, even a little. To her surprise, Eusine smiled, a look of enlightenment in his eyes.

"Now I see why Suicune has been keeping an eye on you," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're very good at battling, Lyra. Keep up with what you're doing and I'm sure you'll get better. As for me, I'm going to keep searching for Suicune."

The both of them stared at the sea, where Suicune disappeared to. Eusine let out a breath, looking at Lyra now.

"I have a feeling we'll see each other again. See you around," he told her, turning away and walking back to the city.

"O-okay! Stay safe," yelled Lyra to his back as she waved. She turned and picked up Cynder, surprising the Quilava to quickly lower the flames on his body.

"You did a good job battling," said Lyra, walking to Pokémon Center. "But you got hurt from that battle. It's my job to take care of you, so, for now, I'll carry you. You know, Cynder, I wouldn't mind if you didn't evolve because that way I can still carry you around in my arms. At the same time, it kind of feels like I'm keeping you from growing up. So, you evolve when you want to, okay? Just remember that no matter what you look like, we'll always be together."

Cynder reached up and licked her cheek, causing Lyra to giggle. Yet, it also caused a small pain in her heart. She's begun to realize just how much her Pokémon mean to her. At first, she thought of them as only friends. But now, they've grown into something more – They were family to her. With a broken family like hers, having her Pokémon – her new family – with her made them all the more precious to her. Being a trainer had given her more responsibility to take care of them. If she didn't, she'd lose them, and she didn't want that. She'll care for them, and in turn, they'll protect her. They all depend on each other, just as her mother told her when she first left New Bark Town.

Lyra couldn't help but smile as she neared the Pokémon Center. On this journey, Ethan found the one thing he wanted more than anything in the world: freedom. For her, the one thing she truly wanted was a family. Unlike Ethan, she didn't know it when she started out. It made her feel dumb for not knowing what she wanted out of her life. Or was she fooling herself to think she didn't need anything because acknowledging that meant acknowledging incompleteness? The very same incompleteness brought upon her family. Yet that no longer made her feel sad as it used to, it didn't hurt as much as it did then. And it was all thanks to that little Cyndaquil she received back home.

"We'll always be together, all of us," repeated Lyra to Cynder, stepping inside the Pokémon Center. "And I'll always love every one of you. Nothing will change that."

"If I was human, I'd be puking my guts out," said Lyra's Pokédex.

"Sh-shut up! I wasn't talking to you!"

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: Thanks for ruining the mood, Pokedex! Anyway, I'm very sorry that it took me so long to update. I was working on a request fic, there was personal stuff going on, and I needed a small break from writing. I'd like to thank you all for being so patient with me. You guys are great readers/reviewers! On a side note, the reason why Leaf let Lyra borrow her Lapras is because, well, I didn't want to make Lyra have an HM Slave. In game, I made a Sentret use Surf, and the idea of that in the story was ridiculous. Then again, it would have brought more laughs imagining a little Sentret carry Lyra across the sea. Rest assured that more ridiculous stuff will come up (there's always HM Fly). Fact: Cynder is at level 30, so he'll evolve soon, in case you were wondering._**


	12. Fun Times on a Safari

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 2: Finding True Power

Ethan did what any sensible person would do when they were lost in an unfamiliar town – wander around until he found what he was looking for. Cianwood was nowhere near the size of Goldenrod City, which, to him, meant his searching wouldn't take long. His Bayleef seemed rather uncomfortable, unfamiliar with the salty air and sand but tolerated it to help his trainer. To their surprise, the pharmacy was right next to the Pokémon Center. He should have had Lyra stick with him since they were going to end up going to the same place. The pharmacy looked a little nicer than the other buildings, probably recently renovated. The blue tiled roof looked fairly new, too. Above the door was a large sign that read, "Cianwood Pharmacy: 500 Years of Tradition".

He opened the wooden door, stepping into a room with cabinets and shelves filled with natural remedies and medicines. A brown-haired man in glasses was leaning against the counter, his back facing Ethan as he watched the popular program "Cops of Celadon". Ethan watched as a man on the run was tackled to the ground by three officers.

"Mom never let me watch these shows," he thought, quietly observing the program.

"Ha, what an idiot," laughed the store-owner, watching the man get hand-cuffed. "That'll teach him to commit crimes and resist against a policeman! It's damn hilarious to watch what those criminals do when the police come for them."

He looked over his shoulder, only to jump in fright at seeing Ethan and his Bayleef standing in front of the counter.

"Shit, kid! You trying to give me a heart attack," he yelled, clutching at his shirt. "I didn't even hear you walk in."

"You should put a bell or something," suggested Ethan, trying not to laugh from unintentionally scaring the man. "Don't most shops have those?"

"Eh, it's kind of hard to come by certain materials, like ores and metals. I mean, our island doesn't get many tourists, except for the occasional trainer, but they're only here to challenge Chuck. But, recently, there's been construction going on for a Safari Zone, so I think we should start seeing more visitors."

"Yeah, I've heard of that. Anyway, I'm here on an errand. I need some medicine to cure a sick Pokémon."

"Medicine," asked the shop-owner, looking over at the healthy Bayleef. "Your Pokémon looks fine to me."

"It's not for my Pokémon, but for a sick Ampharos at the Olivine Lighthouse. If it isn't treated soon, it might die."

The shop-owner stared at Ethan for a moment, as if analyzing him for any trace of dishonesty. He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, I had heard a rumor about a sick Pokémon across the sea. I didn't think it was the lighthouse Pokémon. All right, I know the right medicine to give you."

He pulled out a set of keys from his pocket, opening up the locked cabinet that was next to the television. He rummaged around, glancing at bottles and containers. Eventually, he held up a small, yellow pouch, tied securely with a black string. The owner shut and locked the cabinet, then looked back at Ethan.

"This is a special medicine passed along my family," he explained, handing Ethan the pouch. "It's on the strong side, so only use it for emergencies."

"Okay, how much is it," asked Ethan, taking out his wallet.

"It's on the house. Besides, why should I charge money to help someone or save them?"

"So, does that mean the rest of the stuff here is free, too?"

"Don't misunderstand! I still have to run a business, otherwise I'd be bankrupt. I'm just doing this favor because I'm an excellent judge of character. I can tell that you're an honest kid, especially when it's obvious that your Pokémon really like you. Now, the last kid that was here, he had this bad vibe to him. I didn't keep my eyes off him because I had a feeling he'd steal something if I looked away."

"Did you see his Pokémon?"

"He had a Golbat with him, but the poor thing looked like it's been through some tough times. It wasn't absolutely miserable, it just… looked determined and yet scared at the same time."

"How can you know that just by looking at a Pokémon?"

"When you've seen as many sick people as I have – people that fight for their lives against their disease – you pick it up easily."

"I see. Thanks for giving me this medicine. It'll really help out Amphy," said Ethan, walking toward the door.

"No problem, kid. Stop by any time you need to."

Ethan stepped outside, sighing a bit at what the shop-owner said. Really, someone had to knock some sense into that Silver guy. He shrugged, hoping that he'd be the one to do that. He had only taken a few steps toward the Pokémon Center when he noticed someone leaning against the wall of the pharmacy. It was a blonde man, who looked to be a few years older than Ethan, staring at a pokéball in his hand. Normally, this wouldn't concern Ethan much, but that wasn't the case when he saw the despair in the guy's eyes.

"Uh, are you okay," asked Ethan, approaching the man.

"No… And neither is my Pokémon," he replied in a low voice.

"Is it sick or something?"

"It was stolen."

"Stolen? By who?"

"I don't know his name, but he threatened me into giving him my rare Pokémon! I-I've already reported to the police, but they couldn't find him anywhere. That can only mean he left Cianwood."

"What did he look like?"

"He was about your age, red hair, and had gray eyes. I'm worried if he'll come back and steal my other Pokémon."

Just from hearing that, Ethan already knew who that was. It was too obvious. And it sure ticked him off more that he stole not one, but two Pokémon now. First Elm, and now some guy from Cianwood? That Silver was really getting on his nerves. The blonde man stared at the pokéball in his hand for a moment before looking to Ethan.

"Hey, you look strong," he began, catching Ethan off-guard. "If it's not too much to ask, can you take care of my last Pokémon? He'd be a lot safer in your hands than mine."

"Um… Yeah, why not? It wouldn't hurt to help out."

"Thank you! Please, take good care of it!"

The man handed him the pokéball and walked away, looking awfully cheerful. He was probably incredibly relieved that his remaining Pokémon was in safe hands. It was like the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders. Ethan stared at the pokéball, his Bayleef watching with curiosity. With a small shrug, he released the Pokémon inside to see what it was. What they saw wasn't something they were expecting. It was probably one of the strangest Pokémon Ethan's ever seen. It looked like a yellow worm living in a red shell, which had a couple holes for its limbs. As much as he hated it, he took out his Pokédex to see what, exactly, this Pokémon was.

"Ah, what a rare specimen," said his Pokédex upon seeing the strange Pokémon. "I say, it has the unique typing of bug and rock! This is none other than the wondrous Shuckle! But, how did a chap like you obtain such a Pokémon?"

"It was a gift," replied Ethan, keeping his patience. "Can you tell me a little more about it? I don't want to send it out in a battle if it's going to have the tar beaten out of it."

"That's highly unadvisable! Though Shuckle have extraordinary defensive qualities, attacking isn't in its blood! It's quite tragic that it also doesn't have much attack power, either."

"Well, now I know why Silver didn't want it, knowing how he is. Eh, thanks for telling me."

"Did you actually thank me," gasped his Pokédex in shock. "Today is an exquisite day for me! If only I had a body so you and I can have a spot of tea together."

"That sounds kind of boring."

"Egad! You uncultured child, you!"

Ethan put away his Pokédex, refusing to continue the argument any further. Now that he had the medicine for Amphy, it was time to head back to Olivine City. All he had to do was meet up with Lyra so they get across the sea again. This time, it'll be much smoother since the swimmers weren't going to challenge them again. Good thing, too, because Amphy urgently needed the medicine. Ethan walked a couple of steps until he entered the Pokémon Center nearby. As expected, Lyra was already there, sitting on a chair with her Quilava on her lap. She looked up from petting Cynder, waving at Ethan. She carefully set down Cynder, who seemed a little annoyed that he wasn't being petted anymore, and skipped over to Ethan.

"Did you get the medicine," she asked, a hopeful look in her brown eyes.

"Yeah, and I also have to take care of a Shuckle because that jerk Silver stole a Pokémon from Shuckle's owner," replied Ethan, fixing his cap.

"Silver did what?"

Lyra was obviously shocked, unable to comprehend that Silver stole yet another Pokémon. However, at the same time, she wasn't all that surprised given from how he is and the way he treats Pokémon.

"He stole a Pokémon," repeated Ethan. "Johto's police force really sucks if they can't catch one teenager."

"Next time I see him, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind! How dare he steal someone's Pokémon! Who the heck does he think he is? I've had it up to here with him!"

"You tell him, Lyra! C'mon, we should start leaving now. I don't know how long Amphy can wait for the medicine."

"Oh, right. The poor thing needs it right away."

They both walked out of the Pokémon Center, heading for the shoreline of the city. They withdrew their Pokémon and sent out a Gyarados and Lapras, both Pokémon ready to make the trip across the sea again. Ethan and Lyra climbed onto their respective Pokémon, and they set out to Olivine City. Strangely, the waters were a little choppy this time around, making the trip a little rough. As they passed by the Whirl Islands, Lyra wondered if the sea was like this because of the whirlpools. She doubted that's what it was, thinking instead that it was merely coincidence. Still, she made a mental note of exploring the Whirl Islands when she had the chance.

Aside from the rough ocean waters and the occasional Tentacool, it was a smooth trip back to Route 40. It didn't take them very long either, getting to the shore of the route in about fifteen minutes. Lyra and Ethan quickly returned Gyarados and Rain to their pokéballs, sprinting to the lighthouse to give the medicine to Amphy. Now that they knew that the elevator actually worked, they ran straight for it, out of breath as Ethan pressed the button repeatedly to get the elevator to open. When the doors opened, they were quick to get inside, Ethan pushing the button inside so fast that it looked like he would break it. The next thirty seconds felt too long as they felt the elevator shift and move to the top floor.

The doors opened again, the top floor of the lighthouse accessible for them. Ethan ran to where Amphy, Jasmine, and Leaf were, surprising them with the way he suddenly charged in. Lyra arrived soon after, panting from all the running.

"Here's the medicine," he said breathlessly, taking out the pouch of medicine from his backpack and handing it to Leaf.

Leaf opened it and observed one of the round pellets within, Jasmine looking up hopefully.

"Will that medicine cure Amphy," she asked Leaf, glancing over at the sick Ampharos that laid on the ground.

"I'm pretty sure it will," replied Leaf, putting the pellet back in the pouch.

"Um, I don't want to offend you but Amphy won't take anything from anyone but me."

"Oh, okay then."

Leaf handed her the pouch, watching as Jasmine took out a pellet and feed it to Amphy. It was probably a little bitter since the Ampharos made grunting noises, voicing its displeasure at the taste.

"Amphy, how are you feeling," asked Jasmine, a little worried by the noises he was making.

Amphy tiredly opened his eyes, giving a small reassuring nod.

"I think he'll be feeling much better after some rest," explained Leaf. "If that medicine is as good as they say it is, he should be cured in no time."

"I'm so relieved," sighed Jasmine, a small smile on her face. "This is just wonderful."

She looked over at Ethan and Lyra and added, "Thank you so very, very much. Once Amphy is all better, I'll return to my gym. I hope that I will see you both there soon."

The sound of a Pokégear rang out, startling everyone. Ethan quickly grabbed his Pokégear and answered the call, not bothering on checking the caller ID.

"Hello," he answered, turning around so he wouldn't be too distracted by the others.

"Hi, Ethan! It's Warden Baoba," said the cheery voice on the other line. "Sorry to have kept you waiting, but the Safari Zone is finally open! You know where it is, right?"

"Didn't you say it was next to Cianwood?"

"Yes, but to get here, you have to go in a cavern to the east of Cianwood. It serves as the Safari Zone's gate. After walking a bit, you should soon see the Safari Zone! I know it's out of the way, but please come visit! You won't regret it!"

"We'll be sure to visit."

He hung up the Pokégear, turning around to look at Lyra.

"That was Baoba," he told her, hoping she remembered him. "The Safari Zone is open, and he really wants us to go see it."

"Wait, that was the warden," asked Leaf, a surprised look on her face. "H-how did you get his number?"

"We met him on the way to Olivine from Ecruteak," replied Lyra. "Do you know him, Leaf?"

"Yeah! I found his dentures once in the Safari Zone back in Kanto. He gave up his position as warden to his son and suddenly left Fuchsia City about a year or so ago. It's a relief to know that he's safe. And he's opened another Safari Zone. Ah, that really brings back memories."

"Then let's go to the Safari Zone! I'm sure he'll be happy to see you again, Leaf."

Leaf nodded, an eager look in her eyes to meet up with an old friend.

"I suppose this means you'll be leaving now," asked Jasmine curiously.

"Yeah, but we'll be back to challenge you later," replied Ethan, already looking forward to the future battle.

"Bye, Jasmine," said Lyra, waving at her. "I hope Amphy will be all better by the time we get back."

The group headed for the elevator, taking a few moments to reach the bottom floor of the lighthouse. Once the elevator reached the bottom, they stepped out and went outside, back in the salty air of Olivine. Leaf took a moment to stretch her arms over her head, preparing herself for the trip to Cianwood.

"You two came back pretty quick, especially when you had to cross the sea instead of flying," commented Leaf.

"Wait a minute," began Ethan, bringing a hand to his chin. "How come you didn't fly to Cianwood to get the medicine? I mean, I'm sure you knew that was a lot faster instead of sending me and Lyra."

"I could have, but you guys already seemed set on going there yourselves. I thought it was really admirable."

Lyra quietly blushed at the comment, honored that her senior had a good impression of her so far.

"Senpai has noticed me," she muttered blissfully, walking ahead of Ethan and Leaf.

"Another Magikarp," hissed a fisherman nearby, staring with annoyance at the caught Magikarp at the end of his fishing line. "Are there just Magikarp here?"

"What's wrong with catching Magikarp," asked Lyra, watching the fisherman release the Magikarp.

"Well, nothing really, but I was told that the fishing rod I'm using can catch different kinds of water Pokémon. That's why I bought two extra ones to catch more but I'm not catching anything besides Magikarp."

The fisherman pointed to two spare rods leaning against the rail, their lines not stirring one bit.

"Sounds like you got ripped off," remarked Ethan, joining in. Leaf smiled, her eyes looking away as if she was keeping some kind of secret.

"What if Ethan and I try to help you catch a different kind of Pokémon? We could use more fishing practice, anyway," suggested Lyra.

"You'd do that for me," asked the fisherman, looking quite moved by Lyra's compassion. "All right then! I'll accept your offer."

Ethan sighed but went along with Lyra's plan as they grabbed a fishing rod and waited for a bite. Leaf watched with amusement, coming up with possible predictions of what her juniors may catch. Though she didn't explore all of Johto a few years ago, she was aware of the common Pokémon that could be caught in certain areas. After a few minutes, Lyra's line tugged, signaling a bite from a Pokémon below the water's surface.

As Lyra began to reel in the Pokémon, Ethan's fishing rod also had a bite, the fisherman watching intently to see what kind of Pokémon they'd reel in. To everyone's surprise, except Leaf's, both had reeled in Krabby, their pincers snapping in displeasure.

"Quick! Put them in this basket," ordered the fisherman, quickly grabbing a large woven basket and opening it for Lyra and Ethan. The two put their catch in the basket, the fisherman looking ecstatic.

"So Krabby can be caught here," he mused happily. "I should try some other fishing spots to try to get more. You know what? For helping me out, you two can keep those fishing rods. It's the least I can do."

"Oh, thanks," beamed Lyra, putting the fishing rod away in her bag. "I'm just glad that we were able to help out."

"Not only that, but these fishing rods look way better than the ones that other guy gave us," added Ethan, noticing the quality of the new fishing rod.

"Thanks again, kids. I'll let you guys go on with whatever you were doing. As for me, I have a whole lot more fishing to do!"

Lyra giggled a little as she and Ethan joined Leaf to continue on to Cianwood. In a few minutes, they had made it out of Olivine and were walking on the shoreline of Route 40. Now near the water, Leaf and Ethan sent out Lapras and Gyarados respectively. Lyra joined Leaf on her Lapras, and the group headed to Cianwood.

"Leaf, do you know what kind of Pokémon can be caught in the Safari Zone," asked Lyra, hoping that there will be cute Pokémon to catch.

"I'm actually not sure," answered Leaf. "I mean, it might have different Pokémon from the Safari Zone I used to go to. So, it's probably going to be a surprise for all of us."

"What was the best Pokémon you caught in the old Safari Zone?"

"Oh, that's an easy one. It took a lot of time but I managed to catch a Dratini, who's a permanent part of my team."

"What does a Dratini look like?"

"Um… I didn't bring my Pokédex so I can't show you. But Dratini are dragon-type Pokémon that grow to become really strong. They're light blue, have no legs or arms, and they're pretty cute, too."

"They're cute? Ah, I'm definitely going to try to get a Dratini then! I hope the Safari Zone has some I can catch!"

With that, Lyra was intent on getting a Dratini eventually. She hoped that it would be soon because she was very curious on how cute it looked and what it'll grow up to be. There was also the idea that she would have the same kind of Pokémon as Leaf, which made getting a Dratini all the more important.

Within a couple of minutes, they arrived in Cianwood once again. Rain and Ethan's Gyarados seemed a little annoyed by the trips between the cities and were more than happy to be returned to their pokéballs. It didn't take long to find the entrance to the Safari Zone, which was on the eastern part of Cianwood. Though, technically, it wasn't an entrance to the Safari Zone itself, but more of a gateway to the next route that led to the Safari Zone. Whatever the case was, the Safari Zone was still a bit further away. To prepare for the new route, Lyra sent out Cynder, the fire Pokémon delighted to be outside again. Ethan sent out his Bayleef while Leaf sent out her Pidgeot. The trio walked through the small cave of the gate, walking up a large set of stairs and following the path.

Once outside, both Bayleef and Cynder were surprised to see that they were right at the edge of a cliff, sticking close to their trainers out of anxiety. Breeze the Pidgeot was understandably not bothered by the great height.

"This is the first time I've ever seen these cliffs," stated Leaf in awe. "You two won't mind if I wander off for a bit, right? Sorry, but I'm getting a huge urge to explore around."

"I don't see how that'd be a problem," replied Ethan, shrugging his shoulders. "We'll meet up at the Safari Zone, then?"

"Of course. Besides, I don't want to miss out on seeing Baoba again after so long."

Leaf gave them a brief wave before running off ahead of them, Breeze flying close behind her. Lyra looked on with a little disappointment for she was hoping that Leaf would watch her battle again. She sighed but Cynder unintentionally distracted her by snuggling against her legs, scared of the dangerous environment they were in. Lyra picked up Cynder, petting him to try to calm him down.

"Lyra, we should try to get to the Safari Zone soon because it's obvious that our Pokémon don't like being here," stated Ethan, his Bayleef pushing him to get him away from the edge of the cliff.

"Yeah, we should. I guess Cynder really doesn't like heights."

Ethan noticed a cave nearby, hoping that a change of scenery, however temporary, would ease their Pokémon's fears. He led the others to it, which had two ladders within. After some debating with Lyra, they ended up going up the first ladder, entering another small cave. This one already led back outside, which meant they'd have to be back on the cliffs again. This time, however, they ran the rest of the way, being as careful as possible, to get through the area quickly. Bayleef and Cynder didn't like the running part of the plan, but were glad that they, along with their trainers, were away from the steep cliffs. Luckily, the rest of the route was on solid ground, which put them at ease. They followed the long path, the Pokémon now calm and enjoying the soothing sound of the river close by.

"Are we there yet," asked Lyra, wondering just how far away the Safari Zone was.

"Well, I can see it now, so I'd say we're really close," replied Ethan with a chuckle. Just right around the bend was the Safari Zone, two large torches and a conspicuous sign right at the entrance. They ran up to it, welcomed by little shops selling a small variety of items. However, Lyra and Ethan weren't distracted by the rather rare items. Instead, they kept walking onward to the main building ahead, almost sure that Baoba would be there. As they stepped through the doorway of the building, they came into a well-furnished room. A long beige carpet with a simple design was on the wooden floor, a couple potted plants along the walls, and large table and matching chairs completed the room. Baoba, who was sitting at the table, turned to look at them, delighted to see them again.

"I've been waiting for you," he chimed, standing up from his seat to greet the duo. "What do you think of the brand-new Safari Zone?"

"It looks good so far, but isn't it kind of early for an opinion," asked Ethan, looking around the room.

"I suppose that's true. How about I make it worth your while by offering to give you two an Owner Aptitude Test?"

"Y-you mean that we have an opportunity to become the new owners of the Safari Zone," asked Lyra with a small gasp.

"Yes, and it's a really easy test. So, are you up for it?"

"Yeah," answered Lyra and Ethan at the same time.

"All right! The first part of the test is simple – all you have to do is catch on Geodude at the safari and show it to me. They should be in the grass closest to the entrance, so I doubt it'll take long to catch one. Good luck!"

Both Ethan and Lyra dashed to the man on the other side of the room, very eager to get into the Safari Zone. The man looked taken back but regained his composure quickly.

"One at a time," he explained to them. "It's $500 to get in. You can take as much time as you need and catch whatever you like."

"Here," yelled the two trainers, slamming their money on the counter after a quick count.

The man didn't waste any time to collect the money and hand them the Safari Balls and bait they needed to catch Pokémon. They squeezed through the small doorway to get outside, running to the patch of grass just ahead.

"Lyra, you stay on your patch of grass," yelled Ethan, searching through the tall grass for Geodude.

"You stay on yours," she yelled back, walking through the grass that neighbored the area Ethan was searching.

The two were suddenly competing, doing their best to find a Geodude before the other. After all, who could resist the chance of owning a Safari Zone? Well, maybe a handful of people, but Ethan and Lyra were not one of them. Lyra tried not to focus too much on what Ethan was doing, putting all her energy into finding and catching a Geodude. It took a few minutes – after some encounters with Graveler and a few Magneton – for her to find a Geodude. Upon seeing the rock-type Pokémon, her first reaction was to throw a Safari Ball at it. The Geodude was pulled into the ball and began to shake back and forth. Once, twice – the Pokémon broke free from the ball, Lyra feeling a little nervous about it possibly fleeing.

To keep it from running away, she threw some bait to keep it distracted. Fortunately, the plan worked, the Geodude now interested in eating the small snack it was given. Lyra quickly threw another Safari Ball at the distracted Geodude, the ball shaking at Geodude's resistance. After three shakes, the ball finally clicked, the Pokémon officially caught. She ran up to the ball and picked it up, stashing it in her bag and looking for Ethan. It looked like he had just caught his own Geodude, too, the Safari Ball clicking loud enough for Lyra to hear. For a few seconds, the two friends stared at each other before taking off to the main building. They pushed and shoved each other to get through the doorway, doing whatever it took to be the first one to reach Baoba.

"I caught a Geodude," they yelled at the same time, taking out the pokéballs with their Geodude in it.

"Wonderful! This means you've passed the first test," rejoiced Baoba, receiving confused expressions from Ethan and Lyra. "Huh? Didn't I tell you that there are two tests? Well, there are. Becoming an owner isn't going to be that easy."

"Of course it isn't," sighed Ethan, putting away the Safari Ball with his Geodude.

"Now, as for the second test, I'm still preparing it. I'll let you know through the Pokégear whenever it's ready. For the time being, why don't you try catching more Pokémon in the Safari Zone? You'd be surprised with what you can find there."

"Oh! Now I can catch as many cute Pokémon as I can find there," said Lyra excitedly. "And maybe find and catch a Dratini like Leaf."

"That reminds me," began Ethan, a thoughtful look on his face. "I think I should go find Leaf, wherever she is. She's been gone for a long while. Lyra, you don't mind staying here for a while, right?"

"I'll be fine. Besides, I'm going to be busy catching new Pokémon, so I'm not going anywhere."

Ethan nodded before turning away and walking out the door, leaving Lyra and Cynder alone. Cynder was already a little exhausted from all the running around earlier, and that was counting the running along the cliffs and the frantic search for a Geodude. He followed Lyra back to the man behind the countertop, hoping that his trainer would take things slowly this time around. He was, however, curious of what kind of Pokémon she would encounter in the Safari Zone. Though, the Pokémon there were rather odd – odd in that they didn't attack Lyra, unlike other wild Pokémon they had encountered. Not that he minded that they didn't attack – it certainly made protecting her a little easier – but it made him feel a little uneasy of their tentative nature.

Lyra paid the man at the counter to enter the Safari Zone again, receiving the items she needed for her next trial. Cynder stayed close to her as she walked to the north-eastern corner of the area, an area that looked mountainous. There weren't any impressive Pokémon hiding in the grass, but that long-tongued pink Pokémon definitely weirded him out. He felt relieved that his trainer didn't think that it was cute enough to catch, but she did try to catch it for the sake of filling up the Pokédex a bit. When it seemed like she was going to give up and move on to the next area, that's when it appeared. A small, pale green Pokémon ran into them as they walked through the tall grass, a small gasp coming from Lyra.

"Oh, my gosh! That one is adorable," she exclaimed, her brown eyes wide in admiration. "I have to catch it!"

She quickly took out some bait, throwing it in front of the green Pokémon. It was startled at first, cautiously looking over the snack before picking it up. Lyra watched it carefully, hoping that it would take the bait and leave it vulnerable for capture. Unfortunately, the green Pokémon didn't seem too interested in the bait, tossing it to the side and walking away. Lyra was quick to react, throwing one of the Safari Balls at it before it could get away. Cynder watched the ball move around, wondering if this Pokémon would soon join them or not. He wasn't sure if the Pokémon was male or not, though he hoped that it wasn't male. Another male in the team could mean another rival for the affections of the lovely Ampharos… Or it _could_ be another rival if Cynder was getting any attention from Voltage to begin with. That thought alone was enough to make him feel a little sick in the stomach, making him wonder what he could do to earn Voltage's affections. The sound of a click made him look up, surprised to see the ball no longer moving.

"All right! I caught it," yelled an excited Lyra, running over to pick up the ball. "I wonder what it's called?"

She took out her Pokédex, checking the new information on the green Pokémon.

"Larvitar, eh," began the Pokédex, sounding slightly amused. "Not a bad catch there. Didn't think someone as stupid as you would ever find – much less catch – a rare Pokémon like this. So, you going to nickname it or what?"

"Of course I'm going to nickname it," replied Lyra, a little annoyed by the insult. "Hm, it likes to eat dirt and is both a rock-type and ground-type. That explains why it didn't take the bait… Well, I think I'm going to name him Dusty."

"Dusty? That name is just as stupid as all the other ones I've heard so far. It's like you love showing me what little brain cells you have!"

Lyra just closed the Pokédex since she was in no mood to argue with it at the moment. She sighed, putting the ball in her bag before looking down at Cynder.

"Well, Cynder, we have a new team member now," she explained to the Quilava. "We're going to make him feel right at home with us, and since he doesn't have as much experience as the others, I'm counting on you, Voltage, Cascade, and Zephyr to help him out when he needs it, okay? But I guess this means you'll have to share your harem now."

Cynder gave a small nod despite that the rest of his body was tense from the "he" and "him" pronouns she used. It seemed that fate had different plans for him. Well, surely the newcomer wouldn't have an interest in Voltage, right? Cynder hoped not. For another fifteen minutes, he followed Lyra around the Safari Zone to catch more Pokémon. When she ran out of Safari Balls, they headed back inside, a little tired from all the searching through the grass. In the lobby, Leaf and Ethan sat at the table with Baoba, catching up on the past few years.

"Ah, Lyra, you're back," smiled Leaf, watching Lyra and her Quilava approach. "How was the Safari Zone?"

"I caught lots of Pokémon, but I couldn't find a Dratini anywhere," sighed Lyra. "But I did find this cute little Pokémon called Larvitar. I nicknamed him Dusty."

"Which is a stupid name," commented her Pokédex from her bag.

"A Larvitar," asked Leaf with surprise. "It's not a Dratini, but it's a really good Pokémon to have around. Just take care of him and he'll grow up to be very strong."

"Okay! I'll take the best care of him. In fact, I'll start training him right now!"

Lyra ran out the lobby, leaving Leaf and Ethan alone with Baoba.

"So, Leaf, what were you doing while Lyra and I were over here," asked Ethan, curious to hear if she had discovered anything.

"I was checking out this strange tower at the top of a cliffside," replied Leaf, happy to tell him of her exploration. "There were really odd markings on the floor and walls – nothing I've ever seen before. I couldn't find anything except for a few rare stones that were embedded in some rocks. You can have this one."

Leaf searched through her bag and took out a white stone with a light inside it, handing the stone to Ethan. He stared at it with intrigue, having never seen a stone like this before.

"I'm not sure what it's for, but it might be an evolutionary stone. I'll have to call Professor Oak later to identify the stones I found today."

"Lassie, you've sure grown up a lot since I last saw you years ago," chuckled Baoba. "You were just a trainer then, but now you're apprenticing under Professor Oak. I take it the trainer in you doesn't like staying cooped up in a room all day?"

"Yeah, that's pretty much it. Besides, I think it's better to see things for yourself – it makes researching all the more special when you witness amazing moments."

"While you guys catch up," began Ethan, getting up from the table. "I'm going to head out to train my Pokémon, too. Lyra and I will meet you at the Pokémon Center at dusk, Leaf."

Leaf nodded, content to stay with Baoba and tell him of all the things she's seen. Ethan walked out of the building, heading to Route 48. There, he saw a Quagsire, Noctowl, Ampharos, and Quilava sitting together at the edge of the large patch of grass, watching Lyra train the new Larvitar. The Ampharos seemed very annoyed at the Larvitar's lack of power, so annoyed that she completely ignored the Quilava sitting beside her. The Quagsire was looking at anything that caught her attention, ranging from the Larvitar's battles to the grass she was sitting on. The Noctowl, however, stared at Lyra, never taking her eyes off her. She had to make sure that Lyra would be unharmed.

"Hey, Lyra," called out Ethan, approaching the tall grass. "How's training Dusty so far?"

"Kind of difficult, but Zephyr, Voltage, Cascade, and Cynder are making it a little easier. It's going to be a long while before he can fight completely on his own."

"Try not to overdo it, okay? Pokémon need some rest once in a while. I'll meet up with you and Leaf at the PokéCenter around dusk."

Lyra watched him walk down the path before focusing back on her current battle, which was against a wild Gloom. She called for Cynder, who eagerly jumped into the fight. After all, this could be his chance to impress Voltage. He effortlessly performed a Flame Wheel, rolling into the Gloom with all of his strength. The attack knocked out the Gloom, and Cynder looked over to see what Voltage's expression was. She wasn't amused in the slightest, still having that annoyed look on her face. It seemed that she wanted to be the one to battle. Cynder sighed, unsure what else he could do for Voltage.

* * *

><p>"Use Rock Slide," ordered Lyra, watching her Larvitar avoid a Will-o-Wisp from a Vulpix. Dusty countered with Rock Slide, knocking out the attacking Vulpix effortlessly. With the Vulpix now unconscious, Dusty relaxed a little, and yet he panted heavily.<p>

"I think I can guess what's going to happen now," said Lyra's Pokédex, surprising its owner.

"Um, Dusty? Are you okay," asked Lyra, confused to what was going on.

With that, a familiar glow surrounded the Larvitar's body, his body changing into something completely unrecognizable. It took a few seconds for Lyra to realize that the new Pokémon – a pale blue Pokémon without any limbs – was still Dusty.

"Congratulations, your Dusty evolved into Pupitar," commented the Pokédex in a bored tone.

"You kinda look like a spiky Metapod," giggled Lyra, earning a puzzled look from Dusty.

"I'm glad that he doesn't know what a Metapod is yet because that was a really bad joke. You should be ashamed."

"Well, I guess this means we should head back to the Pokémon Center now. We're going to need some rest before we do a little more training tomorrow," continued Lyra, ignoring her Pokédex.

Dusty dutifully followed Lyra back to the Safari Gate, now aware of how much stronger he was getting thanks to her.

* * *

><p>"Okay, listen up, you two," began Leaf, pacing back and forth in front of Lyra and Ethan. "Because what I'm going to tell you is going to be really important for future challenges. I'm sure you guys understand that every Pokémon type has its weaknesses, right?"<p>

"Yeah," replied both Ethan and Lyra. The three of them stood on the bridge in front of the Safari Gate, the two juniors unsure why their senior wanted to give a lecture at this location.

"So, the ideal strategy is just to have those Pokémon avoid their type disadvantages, correct?"

"That's right," replied Lyra enthusiastically.

"Actually, it isn't," corrected Leaf, watching Lyra's expression fall a little. "You can't always avoid the type disadvantages. What you should do instead is have those Pokémon learn attacks that can counter them. For example, Lyra, your Quagsire is a water/ground-type, which gives her a big weakness against grass-types. To counter it, it'd be easier for her to learn an ice-type or poison-type attack. Do you understand what I mean?"

"But what if the attacks you want to teach your Pokémon are moves they can't learn," asked Ethan, raising an eyebrow.

"Unfortunately, there _are_ Pokémon who have very limited moves. There isn't much you can do there but try to adapt to it or come up with a different strategy for them. It won't always be easy, but that's part of being a trainer. What matters most is that you can overcome the hardships and obstacles with your Pokémon."

"So, can we get to training now?"

"Sure thing! Oh, hold on! Ethan, before I forget, there's something I have to tell you about that stone I gave you yesterday."

"Okay, and that would be…?"

"It turns out that that stone is a Shiny Stone, and that's the stone you need to evolve your Togetic. Of course, that's only if you want to evolve him."

"Not yet. He still needs some training before taking on Chuck."

"Hey, is that the gym leader of Cianwood," asked Lyra, new to the name.

"Yep, and he uses fighting-type Pokémon. I think that's why Leaf was giving us that little lecture."

"Fighting-types are nothing to sneeze at," commented Leaf, walking ahead of them. "While you guys train, I'm going to investigate a bit around these routes and Cianwood City for any signs of Team Rocket."

The pair watched Leaf leave, heading back to Cianwood. Ethan let out a sigh, stretching his arms out.

"As a heads-up, Lyra," began Ethan, turning to his friend. "Fighting-types are weak against psychic and flying-types. If I were you, I'd give Zephyr some extra training."

Lyra brought a hand to her chin in thought, her free hand grabbing Zephyr's pokéball. She stared at it for a moment before sending out the Noctowl.

"Zephyr, do you think you're ready for some gym battles," she asked the Noctowl. Zephyr hooted in reply, looking quite confident and eager.

"Well, if Zephyr thinks she's ready, then we'll take the challenge now," announced Lyra, already leading the way to Cianwood.

"Whoa, are you serious," asked Ethan, causing Lyra to stop. "Normally, you'd take some extra time to train and prepare yourself. What gives?"

"To tell you the truth, I _am_ pretty nervous about it," she admitted, rubbing the back of her head. "But Zephyr is confident about the challenge, so it might turn out well."

"And if it doesn't?"

"Then we'll train some more!"

Ethan couldn't help but smile as he watched his childhood friend walk away. It seemed that she was getting the hang of being a trainer. As for him, he knew very well that he needed a little more training before challenging Chuck. He walked into the large field of tall grass, hoping that he'd see Lyra with a new badge soon.

Lyra herself was in an upbeat mood, despite the butterflies in her stomach from the idea of challenging a gym leader before Ethan. There was still some doubt about challenging Chuck, but maybe winning that fifth badge will impress Leaf. Lyra really wanted to stay on her senior's good side and hoped that her best was enough. She snapped out of her thoughts, focusing on the road to Cianwood. Zephyr enjoyed flying above the cliffs near the town, and yet she was rather nervous about her trainer being so close to the dangerous heights. Eventually, they were back in Cianwood, heading straight for the gym. It didn't take long for Lyra to find the somewhat familiar building, the sign outside reading "Chuck: His Roaring Fists Do the Talking!"

She gulped as she and Zephyr walked through the glass doors of the gym, entering an odd room filled with water. Right in front of her was a large man standing under a waterfall. He was wearing only a pair of red, martial arts pants with a black belt, and he seemed to be meditating under the waterfall. The crashing of the waterfall echoed through the room, giving Lyra the doubt that Chuck would be able to hear her. Zephyr hooted to get Lyra's attention, looking over at the mechanism that controlled the waterfall.

"So if we interrupt his meditation, he'll probably accept our challenge," asked Lyra, checking the rocky stairs that lead up to the mechanism. "It's worth a shot."

Zephyr hooted, following Lyra to the first set of stairs on the left side. There, a Black Belt challenged Lyra to a battle, sending out a Hitmonlee to fight against Zephyr. The Noctowl began, and ended, the battle with a single Air Slash, knocking out the Hitmonlee before he even knew what hit him. Lyra could only stare in surprise, now understanding why Zephyr was confident to take on the gym challenge.

"Good job, Zephyr! At this rate, I think we'll beat this gym in no time," cheered Lyra, heading up the stairs.

"Words are useless," yelled another Black Belt, running up to Lyra. "Let your fists do the talking!"

"I hope that's a challenge to a Pokémon battle and not a fight with me!"

Zephyr flew in front of Lyra, watching the Black Belt send out a Machop. The Noctowl relaxed her body, focusing on unleashing Confusion on the Machop. Within seconds, the Machop was hit by the psychic attack, knocking it out. The Black Belt then sent out a Machoke, who was eager to battle against Zephyr. Zephyr was unfazed, flapping her wings to perform another Air Slash. The Machoke fell to the ground, unable to battle any further after that attack.

"Wow, Zephyr, I guess I did well in training you, huh," asked Lyra, collecting her winning money from the Black Belt. Zephyr nodded in reply, and she followed Lyra back to the bottom floor being that the defeated Black Belt wasn't allowing Lyra to pass through to reach the waterfall machine. With one path blocked, they had no choice but to take the stairs on the right side. However, yet another Black Belt challenged Lyra to a battle, sending out a Hitmonchan. The Hitmonchan was quicker than the other Pokémon, hitting Zephyr with a Mach Punch as she attacked with Confusion. She quickly followed up with Air Slash before Hitmonchan could counterattack. The attack was more than enough to defeat the Hitmonchan, allowing Lyra to continue on. It was only a short way before Lyra finally reached the winch controlling the waterfall. She quickly turned it, the machine shifting upward to stop the water from falling.

Lyra took a deep breath before walking back down to where Chuck stood. She couldn't stop the feeling of intimidation she received from him as she approached, her legs getting heavier with every step. Somehow, she found herself standing a couple feet away from him, Zephyr prepared for the upcoming battle.

"Why'd you stop the waterfall from pouring on me," demanded Chuck, his voice echoing loudly. "You just spoiled my training!"

"Sorry, but I did that so I can challenge you," replied Lyra, doing her best to not show nervousness.

"Is that so? I have to warn you that I'm a strong trainer who trains every day under this waterfall!"

"Okay, but what does that have to do with Pokémon battles?"

"Hmmm… Nothing really. All right! We shall do battle!"

The pacing threw Lyra off for a moment, but she quickly regained her focus when Chuck sent out a Primeape.

"Zephyr, Air Slash," ordered Lyra, her voice loud and clear.

The Noctowl swooped in close to the Primeape, flapping her powerful wings to unleash an Air Slash. At that moment, the Primeape used Double Team to try to evade the attack, though luck was Lyra's side as Air Slash successfully hit. Both trainers withdrew their Pokémon, Lyra only doing so to give Zephyr some rest. She sent out Voltage just as Chuck sent out a Poliwrath.

"Okay, Voltage, it's up to you," began Lyra, watching the Ampharos prepare herself. "Use Discharge! Then follow up with Thunder Punch!"

The Poliwrath began to tighten its focus, probably preparing for a later attack. Voltage smirked slightly as she released electricity from her body, disturbing the Poliwrath's move. However, it sent out a powerful wave of water, undoubtedly Surf, which crashed against Voltage. She was knocked back considerably, almost falling on her back as she did her best to shield herself. Now more than annoyed, she regained her stance and charged straight at the Poliwrath, her right flipper sparking with electricity. The Poliwrath tried to use Surf to knock her back again, but Voltage beat him to it, upper cutting him with Thunder Punch. Poliwrath fell back, Voltage eyeing him carefully to make sure he wouldn't be getting back up. With Poliwrath unable to battle any further, the battle was over.

"I lost," asked a shocked Chuck, returning his faint Poliwrath to its pokéball. "Well, how about that! All right. You're worthy of the Storm Badge!"

He unpinned a badge from his black belt, walking up to Lyra and handing her the badge.

"I-I got my fifth badge," trembled Lyra, shaking from excitement. "Yeah! We did it! Zephyr, Voltage – you did a great job!"

Voltage huffed in pride, smiling lightly in happiness for her trainer.

"The Storm Badge will let your Pokémon fly to any city or town you've been to," explained Chuck, handing out a cd as well. "You should take this, too. It's Focus Punch. It doesn't land if the foe you're attacking hits you first, but it's very powerful if it manages to hit!"

"Thanks, Chuck! I'll save it for later."

Lyra put away the cd, wonder where he was keeping the cd in the first place. It was best that she didn't think too much of it.

"I definitely enjoyed battling you," laughed Chuck, crossing his arms over his chest. "But a loss is a loss! I'll have to start training 24 hours a day!"

"Um, good luck with that," remarked Lyra, waving goodbye to him. She and Voltage headed outside, feeling very accomplished that they won the Storm Badge. Lyra admired it for a moment longer as she held it in her hand, her other hand searching her bag for her pouch that held her badges.

"That's Cianwood's badge," called out someone, causing Lyra to look up from the badge.

An older woman approached her, taking something out of her apron.

"You should take this HM," she added, giving Lyra the cd case.

"Okay… What brought this on all of a sudden?"

"People who manage to defeat my husband in a Pokémon battle earn an HM, I believe. Besides, wouldn't this make traveling a lot easier for you?"

Lyra nodded in response, but she suddenly gasped, realizing something very important.

"This means I can visit my mom now," grinned Lyra, Voltage staring at her curiously. "I have to tell Ethan about this. I can visit her while he's training for now."

Lyra ran off to the cave that led to Route 47, her Ampharos doing her best to keep up. With three more badges to earn, Lyra thought it was time to visit her mother again after so long. Besides, she had to show her mom the new Pokémon she's met since leaving New Bark Town.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Dear Arceus, it's been far too long since I last updated. Please forgive me and the hiatus, readers. I've been trying to get my life together, and what do you know - I actually got a job and know how to drive now. Having a job really puts my time management skills to the test, and it turns out I'm bad at that. Anyway, if this chapter felt a little lacking, it's because I really wanted to update as soon as I can. Just remember that I don't plan to discontinue the story anytime soon. I'll try to update when I can. Thank you so much for your patience, and I hope you keep enjoying the story.**_


	13. Big Trouble in Little Mahogany

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 2: Finding True Power

"I'm so glad you're here, Lyra," began Lyra's mom, speaking softly. "And your Pokémon, too, of course."

Lyra laughed nervously, sitting across from her mother in the kitchen. She took a sip from her glass of juice, eyes warily glancing to her Pokémon that were exploring her house. Zephyr calmly sat in the chair next to Lyra, also watching her fellow teammates. Cascade was fascinated by the rug in the living room, going under and knocking over the wooden coffee table to get a better look. Voltage sat on the couch, looking pretty bored with everything, and Cynder sat next to her, hoping that she'd notice him. Dusty was wandering about, going from the kitchen to Lyra's room and then back downstairs. Though it made Lyra a little anxious to have all her Pokémon in the house, she had to admit that it definitely made the house livelier. She just hoped that they wouldn't make a mess or anything of the sort.

"You've made some good friends here," commented her mother, watching her daughter's Pokémon. "I hope they grow to like the house."

"I'm sure they will," assured Lyra, smiling softly. "This is their new home now. But, they probably need a little time, and there's still one more Pokémon I should catch, too."

"How's the gym challenge going? When you last called me, you told me you only had four badges."

"It's going good so far! I just won my fifth badge not too long ago. I think the next one is back in Olivine City, so we'll head over there once Ethan wins the Storm Badge."

"At that rate, you'll be heading over to the Indigo Plateau soon. I'm wondering, Lyra, but do you want to be the League Champion?"

"I'm actually not sure about that. I mean—" Lyra glanced over at her Pokémon, a smile slowly appearing. "—I think I already found what I wanted."

* * *

><p>Leaf sighed in exasperation, leaning back against a rocky wall. She was back in Cianwood, a little exhausted from all the investigating she had been doing. Unfortunately, she's made no progress in finding out Team Rocket's whereabouts. She had no choice but to conclude that Team Rocket was nowhere around these parts of Johto. However, it did help for her to figure out that there may be some trace of them in the other towns and cities. She'd have to talk to Ethan and Lyra about the times they've seen Team Rocket just to make things easier.<p>

She stood up, deciding to meet up with the pair. They probably already won their fifth badge, which meant that they'd be able to move on to someplace else. Or Olivine City, to be exact. Leaf walked to where the gym was, looking forward to meeting up with them again. After all, she could see so much potential in them. Once they earn all of Johto's badges, they could give Leaf a run for her money with battling. Maybe even give Red a difficult time. She half-smiled at that, wondering who'd be the victor in that battle.

"If they can find him," she thought, a frown creasing her lips. "Or… If he's even alive."

She immediately pushed that morbid thought away, refusing to believe that such a thing could happen to Red.

"All right, Togetic, we now have the Storm Badge _and_ a new HM," stated a familiar voice, causing Leaf to be more aware of her surroundings. Up ahead, she spotted Ethan near the Pokémon Center, his Togetic fluttering above him.

"I'll give Lyra a call to meet us back in Olivine City," he said, taking out his Pokégear.

"Right on time," thought Leaf, approaching Ethan. He noticed her, smiling when she was near.

"Hey, Leaf, you missed out on the action," he said proudly, now grinning. "I just won the Storm Badge a few minutes ago."

"Yeah, I know. Kinda hard not to know with how loud you announced it earlier."

"Eh, I don't need to announce it – people will be seeing my name on that statue in the gym from now on."

"So challenging Jasmine is the next thing to do, right?"

"Yep. That reminds me, can you hold on a minute? I'm going to call Lyra to let her know."

Leaf gave a small nod, watching Ethan dial Lyra's number. It took a few seconds before Lyra picked up.

"Lyra, we're going to be in Olivine, all right? Get there as soon as you can after you're done with your visit. Okay, bye."

Ethan hung up the Pokégear, putting it back in his pocket.

"Where did Lyra go, by the way," asked Leaf, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, she wanted to visit her mom back home. She earned her badge before I did, so she told me that we'll rendezvous in Olivine after I get mine. And I think we should start heading over there now."

"Ethan, before we go, can you tell me where you've seen Team Rocket? I want you to tell me about every encounter so far."

"Let's see… There's only been two, and it happened in Azalea Town and Ecruteak City. That's pretty much it."

Leaf was silent for a moment, thinking over what Ethan said.

"So maybe Mahogany Town or Blackthorn City," she muttered, thinking of other areas Ethan and Lyra haven't checked yet. "It could even be Mt. Mortar or the Ice Path. Anyway, let's get to Olivine for now."

"Wait, there's still one last thing I have to do."

Ethan took off his backpack, rummaging through the belongings in search of something. After about a minute, he took out the Shiny Stone he received from Leaf the other day. Leaf didn't need to ask to understand what he intended to do. His Togetic seemed a little excited, staring in awe at the stone. The stone was probably affecting him slightly, which was rather amusing since the stone had yet to be used properly. Ethan held up the stone for the Togetic, who stared at it a moment longer before taking it from Ethan's hand. It took only a couple of seconds before both the stone and Togetic began to glow, a white light covering his features. His body grew quite large – not any taller than Ethan but the difference was obvious. When the light faded, Togetic's new form no longer had hands but very large wings instead. He used his new wings to stay aloft, his new feet making it a little awkward to walk.

"Smashing! Your Togetic evolved into Togekiss," happily commented Ethan's Pokédex. "It was indeed a spectacular sight. What say we celebrate with some tea?"

"You don't even have a mouth to drink tea with," remarked Ethan, climbing onto Togekiss' back. "All right, Leaf, I'm ready when you are."

Leaf took out Breeze's pokéball, releasing the Pidgeot from the confines of the ball. The large bird Pokémon stretched its wings, preparing for the upcoming flight. Leaf climbed onto him, pointing in the direction of the next city.

"Okay, Breeze, we're going to Olivine City," directed Leaf, holding on to her Pidgeot as it took off. Togekiss followed them to the sky, testing out his new wings in the process. Ethan held onto his hat to keep the ocean winds from blowing it off, doing his best to also keep his balance on Togekiss. The Whirl Islands were soon beneath them, and Ethan wondered if they could just descend and land right in front of the cave. For the time being, it'd have to wait since they needed to get to Olivine, the prominent lighthouse now in view. They soon descended into the city, landing in front of the Pokémon Center.

"Right next to the Pokémon Center – that was a good move, Togekiss," stated Ethan, getting off Togekiss' back.

"Actually, whenever you fly anywhere, Pokémon always land in front of the Pokémon Center," explained Leaf, returning Breeze to his pokéball. "It's kind of weird, really. My guess is that it's the most recognizable building for the Pokémon."

"Well, it _is_ the place where they get healed, so it'd make sense that they'll remember it."

"I wonder where Lyra is? Is she already here or still in New Bark Town?"

"I'm here," called out Lyra, suddenly running up to them with her Quilava following. "I got here just a few moments ago. I was waiting for you guys to arrive. I don't know about you guys but I'm going on ahead to challenge Jasmine."

"What the hell," asked Ethan, quite shocked. "First you beat Chuck before me, now you're going to challenge Jasmine before me, too? No, wait… It's because you have the type advantage with Cynder, isn't it?"

"Yep, so Cynder is giving me a bit of a confidence boost. I've been training him a lot, and I think he's ready for Jasmine's gym. Right, Cynder?"

The Quilava happily nodded, looking very confident for the upcoming battles.

"While you two challenge Jasmine, I'm going to check on Amphy," offered Leaf, taking a few steps away. "He should be doing fine now with help from the medicine. After that, we'll have to go to Mahogany Town for more clues on Team Rocket."

"More clues," inquired Lyra, wondering what the other clues were.

"Yeah, Ethan told me about the encounters in Azalea Town and Ecruteak City. But, there weren't any other clues in Cianwood or anywhere near it."

"Did he tell you about the grunt in Goldenrod City?"

"You saw Team Rocket there," asked both Leaf and Ethan at the same time.

"There was only one guy but he wasn't really doing anything. Just kept staring at the Radio Tower with this blank look on his face."

"Hm, he most likely won't act on his own," said Leaf with a thoughtful look on her face. "And if it's just one guy, he'd be no problem to take care of. It's when there's a whole bunch of them that it becomes a big problem."

Leaf walked ahead, heading in the direction of the lighthouse. Ethan and Lyra glanced at each other, a little anxious of just how much this Team Rocket problem would escalate. Lyra only hoped it wouldn't get as bad as the Silph Company building.

"Lyra, go on ahead and challenge Jasmine," said Ethan to Lyra, switching his Pokémon so that Growlithe was out. "I'm going to make sure that Growlithe is in the best shape possible in the meantime."

Lyra nodded, looking over at Cynder to make sure that he was ready. The Quilava was more than ready, the flames on his back burning brightly in eagerness. He seemed a bit too eager, almost restless, but Lyra didn't dwell too much on it. After all, most of her Pokémon were always eager to challenge gyms. She and Cynder walked down the street until they found the gym. Since she had arrived in Olivine before Ethan and Leaf, she was able to figure out what type Jasmine's gym specialized in. Thanks to science classes, she recalled that a high enough heat source can melt metal, so Cynder was the ideal choice.

Lyra walked into the gym, greeted by the usual statues along with large, metal arcs above her head. She could see Jasmine on the other side of the room, and there were only two gym trainers. Lyra took a deep breath before walking up to the first trainer, a gentleman.

"I knew you'd come here," he began, meeting her halfway. "I heard about you and your friends helping the gym leader, and I thank you for that. But, battling is a separate matter. Please, go right on ahead."

"You're welcome," responded Lyra, continuing on to the next trainer. The other trainer, a lass, spotted Lyra and walked up to her.

"I know how capable you are from the Lighthouse," she giggled, giving a reassuring smile to Lyra. "It's time you showed that side of yourself to Jasmine! Good luck!"

"Thanks, I will!"

Lyra made sure she put some distance between the lass and herself before turning to look at Cynder.

"I think we battled those two before," she told him, sounding quite confused. "I really can't remember who they are, though. But at least this makes getting through this gym a lot faster."

Cynder stood up on his hind legs to give a small shrug, though his attention soon went to Jasmine. The gym leader was just a couple feet ahead, preparing to battle her new challenger. Lyra walked up the steps to the small podium, gathering every ounce of her courage. She and Jasmine held eye contact for a few moments before the gym leader spoke first.

"Thank you for your help at the lighthouse," she began softly. "But this is different. Please, allow me to introduce myself. I am Jasmine, the gym leader."

"Um, I already knew that," remarked Lyra, feeling the situation get a little awkward. "I mean, you do have a sign up front that says who you are, not to mention we met in the lighthouse."

"Oh… I suppose that you also know I use steel types?"

"Pretty much."

"Ah, but do you know about the steel type? Did you know that they're hard, cold, sharp, and really strong?"

"I didn't know that last part."

"Then you shall see for yourself just how tough they can be."

Jasmine tossed a pokéball, sending out a Magnemite, as Cynder jumped in front of Lyra.

"Flame Wheel," ordered Lyra, watching Cynder charge toward the Magnemite. Fire covered his body as he leaped and rolled into the Magnemite. The force of the impact knocked out the Magnemite, prompting Jasmine to switch out the Pokémon. Cynder quickly returned to Lyra, breathing heavily despite that he had no problem using Flame Wheel. The next Pokémon was one that Lyra wasn't expecting. Well, she didn't expect it to be so damn huge. Jasmine's next Pokémon was large and snake-like, the lights of the gym reflecting off its steel hide. Cynder looked a little intimidated at first but held his ground, glaring at the Pokémon that towered over him.

"Time to try out that new move you learned," smirked Lyra, taking a couple steps back. "Cynder, use Lava Plume!"

The Quilava ran toward the Steelix, jumping out of the way of its massive tail that came crashing down in front of him. As he was in the air, Cynder concentrated the flames on his back, and he released the gathered fire onto the Steelix. The attack was more than enough for Steelix, who collapsed on the ground from the overbearing attack. Cynder landed on his feet, keeping a close eye on the Steelix should it get back up. Now down to her last Pokémon, Jasmine switched out her Steelix and sent out another Magnemite. By now, Cynder knew exactly what he had to do, already executing another Flame Wheel at the Magnemite. As the flames from Cynder's last attack settled down to reveal an unconscious Magnemite, the battle was officially over.

However, in that moment, Cynder's body began to shine brightly, an unmistakable light that Lyra had no trouble recognizing. His body grew quite large, his form now upright. When the light subsided, Cynder looked almost the same except for the obvious growth spurt, the flames on his back now behind his neck, and the fierce look in his eyes.

"Congratulations, your Cynder evolved into Typhlosion," explained Lyra's Pokédex. "Whoa, he's definitely not the same, timid Cyndaquil from a long way back. I'd say you did a good job but that would imply that I like or care about you, and that would be giving you too much credit."

"It seems that you're a better trainer than me, in both skill and kindness," interrupted Jasmine, now a few feet away from her. "According to League rules, I must confer you the Mineral Badge."

Jasmine gently grabbed Lyra's hand, placing a new badge and a TM on her palm.

"With this badge, stronger Pokémon will obey you in battle," explained Jasmine, pulling her hand away. "That TM is Iron Tail, which can help lower your opponents' defenses. Use it however you see fit, and I wish you luck in your future battles."

"Thanks, Jasmine," acknowledged Lyra, putting away her badge and TM in her bag. "It was great battling you, and it also helped Cynder evolve. I'll see you around!"

Lyra gave a small wave before turning around to leave the gym, her Typhlosion following close behind. Now outside, Lyra couldn't stop herself from smiling, earning a curious look from Cynder.

"We won our sixth badge, Cynder," she exclaimed happily, grabbing her Pokémon's paws and holding them in her hands. "I was a little nervous at first, but it turned out really great. And you even got to evolve!"

Cynder gave a growl in content, glad that his trainer was in such high spirits.

"Let's go find Leaf and tell her the good news! We can wait for Ethan to get his badge."

The Typhlosion nodded, following his trainer to the lighthouse. On their way to the lighthouse, Lyra was surprised to find Leaf by the dock, leaning forward on the fence and staring at the ships there. She approached the older girl quietly, unwilling to disturb her thoughts. However, Leaf noticed her presence, glancing in surprise at the large Typhlosion.

"Your Pokémon evolved," she asked, even though she could already guess.

"Yep! That battle with Jasmine really helped him out," replied Lyra with a grin. "What about Amphy? Is he doing okay?"

"He's all better now. That medicine really helped him out."

Leaf grew quiet, staring back at the ships again. Lyra watched as well, wondering what it was that was making Leaf be so lost in thought.

"Lyra, do you intend to be the Champion," suddenly asked Leaf, catching Lyra off-guard.

"Um, no. I mean, I want to see how far I can go, but I don't want to be Champion."

"Yeah, there's always a way to test yourself further than just being a Champion."

To Lyra, Leaf sounded resentful when she said that. She decided not to pry about that, figuring it wasn't any of her business. Though she still had some questions for her.

"Hey, Leaf, did you ever battle against a Champion? Or become one yourself?"

"I did battle against the Champion three years ago, but I only did it for a personal reason. I didn't want to be Champion either. Don't get me wrong – I did win that battle, I just didn't want the title."

Lyra sighed, relieved that her senior didn't think differently of her because she didn't want to be Champion. In fact, she was glad that she shared something in common with the older girl. They stared back at the ships again, watching them bob with the gentle waves.

* * *

><p>"So are we all ready to head to Ecruteak," asked Leaf, standing patiently with her Pidgeot.<p>

"Yep," replied Ethan, releasing his Togekiss and getting on its back.

"I'm ready," answered Lyra, already on her Noctowl's back.

"Okay! From Ecruteak, we'll have to head east to Mt. Mortar. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for any sign of Team Rocket," explained Leaf, climbing onto Breeze's back. All three flying Pokémon flapped their wings to take off, ascending into the clear blue sky. From the great height, Lyra could see Ecruteak not too far away and the other neighboring cities too. It didn't take long for the group to arrive in Ecruteak City, the Pokémon descending and landing in front of the Pokémon Center. Lyra quickly switched her Pokémon so that Voltage would have some time outside, ready for the walk to Mt. Mortar. She watched the others withdraw their own Pokémon, also preparing for what was ahead.

The group began walking to the eastern gate of Ecruteak City, making their way to Route 42. On the other side of the gate, a large mountain loomed over them, undoubtedly Mt. Mortar. Lyra started to feel anxious about going through the caves of that mountain, worried that she and her Pokémon weren't ready for that. To her relief, she noticed Ethan and Leaf passing by the cave entrance. What she didn't notice was the Hiker that ran out the cave the moment she was right in front of it. Thanks to his large size, it was easy to accidentally push her over. The sound of Lyra falling on the ground got Ethan and Leaf's attention, who both looked back to see what had happened. Voltage glared at the Hiker, who quickly reacted and helped Lyra back on her feet.

"Sorry about that," he apologized, keeping a wary eye on the Ampharos. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, but that was really surprising," laughed Lyra, dusting herself off.

"Thank goodness," sighed the Hiker, noticing Lyra's friends. "I'd like to give you this. Think of it as another apology."

He reached into his backpack and took out a cd case, handing it to Lyra.

"That has a move called Strength," he explained. "It's an HM. When a Pokémon learns it, it can move boulders out of your way. Take care of yourself while you're in those caves."

Lyra watched him walk away, a little confused as to how she suddenly received an HM.

"Wow, you get bumped and you get an HM for it," remarked Ethan, a little surprised himself. "Either people naturally like you or you're just lucky."

"Well, charisma can get you pretty far if you know how to use it," laughed Leaf, watching Lyra put away the HM.

"It could be a little of both," suggested Lyra, closing up her bag. "By the way, I was wondering why we aren't going to Mt. Mortar."

"Oh, there's an easier way to Mahogany Town. I remember going through here three years ago, so we just have to cross these lakes up ahead."

Lyra peered over, spotting a lake a couple of feet away. She was a little embarrassed that she didn't notice it sooner. When they were close to the water, Ethan and Leaf sent out a Gyarados and Lapras respectively, climbing onto their Pokémon for the ride. Leaf patted on a spot next to her, looking over at Lyra to join her. Lyra didn't hesitate for a second, more than happy to comply. Voltage seemed a little uneasy about riding the Lapras, probably not used to aquatic travel yet. Crossing the lake didn't take very long – it only took about a minute at most – but yet another lake was up ahead, separated by part of the mountain and some land mass. Leaf and Ethan were ahead of Lyra again, trying to get to the next lake quickly. She did her best to keep up with them, but something caught her eye.

Hidden by some bushes was a thin tree, one that seemed to be hiding something. Lyra had her Sentret cut it down, her curiosity becoming too much to resist. She only took one step beyond the spot where the tree stood when she heard a roar. Suddenly, she was pulled to the side by Voltage, and all she saw was a very familiar blue blur run swiftly past her. Had the Ampharos not pulled her away in time, the running Pokémon could have easily ran her over.

"W-Was that Suicune," she asked Voltage, who only huffed in annoyance.

Lyra went back to where her friends were, and she found them staring east, not moving a muscle. They were probably surprised by the running Suicune that passed them by.

"Suicune… How brave it is," commented a familiar voice. Lyra looked over her shoulder, seeing Eusine approach her.

"Eusine! It's been a while," greeted Lyra, smiling at him.

"You saw it, right? Suicune is just so refreshing and beautiful… And it definitely moves quickly!"

"Lyra, you know that Pokémon," asked Leaf, walking up to her. "I've never seen that one before. It must be a rare one – kinda like Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno. Agh, if only I had the time to try to study it!"

"I did see it with two other Pokémon, but I haven't seen those ones around," replied Lyra.

"Speaking of which," began Eusine, looking Lyra in the eye. "You seem to be around where Suicune would appear."

"Eh? No, that's just coincidence! I mean, I just stumbled in that closed off area by chance."

"It's all right. My desire to search for Suicune is far beyond yours anyway."

"Um, but I'm not really searching for Suicune, though. I'm pretty curious why you're so focused on Suicune, if you don't mind."

"Ah, well, that goes a long way back," laughed Eusine, reminiscing of his past. "My grandfather was very interested in myths. I heard many stories about Suicune from him."

Eusine took a couple of steps ahead of Leaf and Lyra, staring into the distance.

"Suicune… I won't stop following you until I find out what you're after!"

He suddenly ran off, disappearing into the nearby trees.

"Weird guy," commented Leaf, crossing her arms over her chest. "Not that it's a bad thing. He's really passionate about his quest, so I'm sure he'll reach his goal. Anyway, let's keep going, Lyra."

"Hurry up, guys," called Ethan, already on his Gyarados. "We might be missing out on more weird stuff like that blue Pokémon that dashed by. Which means we're missing out on fun."

Leaf sent out her Lapras again so that they could get across the second lake, getting closer to Mahogany Town. There were a few trainers on the road, one of which, a fisherman, wanted to exchange numbers with Ethan and Lyra. He told them that he'd call them if he found any spare items, which would be almost insane to turn down. After all, he was offering free stuff – who doesn't like that? With that out of the way, the continued onward to the town, welcomed to a rather uneasy air. Because of the small size of the town, the Pokémon Center and gym were next door to each other, which made things simpler. However, as they walked toward the Pokémon Center, Leaf noticed the local shop there. Normally, it wouldn't be so conspicuous, but the sign that read "Just a Souvenir Shop; Nothing Suspicious about It; No Need to Be Alarmed" made it too difficult to ignore.

"That's a very specific denial," thought Leaf, noticing the fake tree next to the shop. "And trees don't have antennae coming out of them. How dumb do they think people are?"

She made a mental note to inspect that shop later, once she knows what's going on in the town first. Besides, she didn't want to just barge right in and ransack the place if her only evidence was just a suspicious sign. That wouldn't be a wise thing to do. As they entered the Pokémon Center, she figured she would take this time to ask around while her juniors' Pokémon were being healed. Leaf went right to work, asking every person there if they had seen Team Rocket or anyone suspicious. The third person she asked, a middle-aged man, mentioned that he had seen men in black in the Lake of Rage just north of the town. At least now she had a lead.

"What's going on, Leaf," asked Lyra, approaching the older girl.

"Are your Pokémon healed? What about Ethan's," she immediately inquired, her voice carrying a sense of urgency.

"Yeah, our Pokémon are healed," replied Ethan, joining them.

"Good. We have to go to the Lake of Rage right now."

"What? But we just got here!"

"Team Rocket might be there."

Both Ethan and Lyra stared at her wide-eyed before saying at the same time, "Okay, let's go now!"

The group quickly left the Pokémon Center, making a beeline for the northern gate. Lyra's Ampharos did her best to keep up, not quite suited for running. Oddly enough, Route 43 had another gate there.

"Looks like they put that there because of the tall grass," mused Ethan, examining the two different paths. "Which way should we go?"

"Spray some repels and go through the grass," answered Leaf, doing just that. "Going through doors will just slow us down a bit."

Lyra and Ethan followed suit, unable to ignore the impatience in Leaf's voice. Not that they could blame her for that. The only reason she was with them in the first place was to help with the Team Rocket problem. With what they did the last time with the Silph Co. building, it was understandable that she didn't want something like that to happen again.

The wind picked up, blowing against them as if trying to slow them down. Lyra looked up at the sky, noticing dark clouds just overhead. It seemed like it would start raining at any moment. With the way the wind was blowing, it was bound to be a storm.

"Leaf, are you sure we should keep going," called out Lyra, powerwalking to keep up with her. "It looks like we'll be in for a storm soon. Maybe we should head back and wait it out."

"I need to make sure that Team Rocket is there or not," explained Leaf, pushing against the wind. "If they're there, I want to stop them before it gets out of hand. You and Ethan can head back if you want."

Lyra felt conflicted between the two choices. She wanted to help Leaf out, but fighting in a storm wasn't the brightest idea. She looked to Ethan for advice, only to see that he was not showing any signs of turning back. Against her own judgment, Lyra pushed on, following Leaf with Ethan. It wasn't long before they arrived at the Lake of Rage, the rain now falling around them. Leaf observed the area, disappointed that Team Rocket wasn't around. For all she knew, they might be hiding around nearby. She was about to tell Lyra and Ethan to head back to Mahogany until she noticed something in the middle of the lake. The younger trainers noticed too, walking toward the lake's edge to get a better look.

"Is that…" began Lyra, shocked at the sight before her.

"It's a red Gyarados," finished Ethan, also shocked.

Leaf herself was speechless, staring in awe at the different-colored Gyarados. Never before had she seen a shiny Pokémon with her own eyes, despite all the traveling and studying she has done. And yet here was one right in front of her, roaring and thrashing about in anger. It was very agitated – something or someone must have set it off. Whatever it was would have to be saved for later, what mattered now was to calm the furious Gyarados before it caused any damage or harm. She _could_ do it herself but… She glanced at her juniors, wondering which one would be ideal. Leaf already knew how much potential Lyra had – the only one she hadn't seen yet was Ethan.

"Ethan, go out there and calm it down," directed Leaf, earning a surprised look from the younger boy.

"What? Are you crazy? There's no way I'm going out there, in the middle of a storm, with a pissed off Gyarados ready to tear my head off."

"Don't you have a Gyarados yourself? I'm pretty sure he'll protect you from another Gyarados."

"Well, yeah, but—"

"C'mon, Ethan. I know it's kind of crazy, but you're a tough guy, right? Besides, there's also a chance of catching it."

Ethan looked out, staring at the rampaging Gyarados. He carefully thought it over, checking the pros and cons of facing the red Gyarados or not. After a few moments, he sighed, his hand grabbing the pokéball that held his own Gyarados.

"All right, I'll do it," he began, releasing his Pokémon. "But if something happens to me, don't touch any of my stuff."

"Be careful, Ethan," said Lyra, voice carrying worry.

Ethan hopped onto his Gyarados, and the two traversed the water, the wind creating waves on the surface. The red Gyarados caught sight of them and swam straight for them, now having a target to direct its fury. Ethan swiftly released his Meganium, having evolved since his training near the Safari Zone. The Meganium stood uneasily on Gyarados' back, trying to balance himself from the swimming movements of his partner.

"First things first, Meganium," began Ethan, keeping his voice loud and clear. "Start off with Reflect, then follow up with Magical Leaf!"

Meganium nodded, setting up a light barrier around his trainer and teammate. The red Gyarados suddenly swung its long tail, whipping up a Twister. The attack hurt Meganium a bit, and it also almost knocked him off his teammate's back. He then released some leaves, using them to unleash Magical Leaf. The attack did some damage, but it wasn't enough. The opposing Gyarados countered with Dragon Rage, sending out a shockwave from its gaping mouth. Meganium held his ground, using another Magical Leaf to weaken it further. Ethan then returned Meganium to his ball, having his Gyarados take a Bite from the shiny.

"All right, use Dragon Rage and that should be it," ordered Ethan, holding on as his Pokémon unleashed a shockwave. The red Gyarados roared when the shockwave hit, thrashing around angrily. Once the attack took its toll on the Gyarados, it settled down, now weary from its rampage and battle. It closed its eyes for a moment before looking up at Ethan and his Gyarados. It slowly nodded its head, showing respect to its opponents, and dived down into the lake's depths. Something else began to rise up from the same spot the shiny Gyarados was at, floating on the rippling water. Ethan's Gyarados swam over and lifted up the object with his tail for his trainer. Ethan took the object, finding that the object was actually a scale. The shiny Gyarados must have left it behind from the battle. Ethan carefully put it away in his bag, accepting it as a parting gift.

"He did it," exclaimed Lyra, jumping in excitement.

"I knew he had it in him," laughed Leaf, holding onto her hat to keep the wind from blowing it away.

"That Gyarados wasn't acting right," commented a voice, causing Leaf to look to her left and see a familiar person in a cape. A Dragonite stood behind the red-haired man, a huge giveaway that it truly was the Champion of Kanto and Johto.

"Lance? What are you doing here," she asked, turning to him. A curious Lyra walked carefully toward them, wondering what was going on between the two.

"Ah, Leaf, it's been a long while, hasn't it? As for your question, I'd ask the same thing, but I believe you're here for the same reasons."

"Maybe, but I didn't know about the Gyarados until a few minutes ago. Anyway, there are a few people I want you to meet—" Leaf looked over at Lyra, who looked delighted that she was being introduced to the Champion. "This is Lyra, and the one who calmed that red Gyarados is Ethan."

In that moment, Ethan had rejoined them, looking a little confused to what was going on.

"A pleasure to meet you, Lyra and Ethan. I'm Lance, a trainer like you," introduced Lance, giving a bow. "I heard rumblings, so I came here to investigate. If you don't mind, could the both of you help me investigate?"

"What? No room for me," smirked Leaf, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, I know firsthand that you can handle yourself just fine. As for these two, I can tell they're not well-experienced yet, but there's a lot of potential. Anyway, it seems that the lake's Magikarp are being forced to evolve, and the radio broadcast coming from Mahogany Town is the cause. We'll meet up there, all right?"

Lance walked away, heading south to Mahogany. What he said about the radio broadcast made Leaf feel uneasy in her stomach, and yet it rang a bell in her mind. She knew she heard about this before, but where? She couldn't quite remember, which frustrated her greatly.

"You heard him, guys," began Leaf, walking ahead of her juniors. "Seems like there's something wrong going on back in the town."

Ethan and Lyra both glanced at each other before following Leaf. The way back was a lot faster thanks to the grassless path, the group reaching Mahogany in about ten minutes. Back in town, Leaf pondered where Lance had gone. The image of that suspicious shop's sign flashed vividly in her mind – it would be a good start to check there. She lead the way to the shop, Ethan and Lyra rather confused as to why she was choosing that moment to do some quick shopping. However, when they stepped inside the small building, they were greeted to an unbelievable sight.

"Dragonite, Hyper Beam," ordered Lance, his Dragonite blasting a man with a powerful beam from its mouth.

"Holy shit, Lance," yelled a surprised Leaf, taking a step back. "Why'd you do that for?"

"Ah, there you are," he said nonchalantly. "What took you all so long? Anyway, I discovered that the strange radio signal is coming from here."

He suddenly turned around, walking straight to a man that was standing by golden armoire. Leaf cringed a bit, wondering if Lance was going to Hyper Beam that man, too. The look of fear on the man's face said otherwise, quickly moving away from Lance.

"The stairs are right here," stated Lance, his Dragonite shoving the armoire away to reveal a hidden staircase. "We'll split up to check this place. I'll go on ahead."

He descended down the stairs, leaving the group alone.

"It's kind of unsettling how easily he had his Dragonite Hyper Beam that guy," said Ethan, adjusting his hat. "But maybe he did it with good reason."

"Hopefully he did," sighed Leaf, walking toward the staircase. "Anyway, we should move forward. I've wanted to check this place since we first got here."

The three went down the stairs, Ethan's Meganium and Lyra's Ampharos following them. On the bottom floor, a long hallway was before them, lined with Persian statues on one side. The glowing, red Persian eyes made Leaf feel uneasy, predicting that something will happen once they walk by one. Her hand glided over her Charizard's ball, holding it for security as she walked by the first statue. An alarm went off immediately, startling everyone there. Two Rocket grunts appeared at the end of the hall, spotting them.

"Intruder alert," yelled one of them.

"Hey, Lyra, want to give me a hand," asked Leaf, sending out her Charizard.

"Of course," replied Lyra, her Ampharos jumping in front of her to battle.

"I'll go on ahead and try to find the easiest way through," offered Ethan, running down the hallway.

The battle between the Team Rocket grunts and the two girls didn't last very long. Flare, Leaf's Charizard, proved to be very formidable, a trait that Voltage couldn't help noticing. The Ampharos did her best to show that she was just as strong, knocking out Zubat and Drowzee with Thunderpunch. As the battle went on, Ethan and his Meganium had wandered deep into the mazelike halls. After he turned a corner, he noticed a computer sitting on a desk at the end of the hall. Since no one was around, he quickly got to it, hoping to find some information. The screen displayed numerous areas of the entire floor, one of which was showing the battle that Lyra and Leaf were having.

"So this controls the cameras," he thought, looking down at the odd keyboard. Meganium, being very curious, pushed his nose against the keyboard to see what kind of object it was. At first, Ethan thought he might have broken it, until the screen lit up, showing a window that asked "Deactivate security system?" Ethan quickly selected "yes", amazed by the luck that they had.

"Hey! What are you doing here," yelled a scientist who appeared, walking toward Ethan. "We set up traps to confound intruders like you, so you shouldn't even be here!"

"Well, I'm not an idiot, and I think you need to get better traps."

The scientist growled, grabbing a pokéball and sending out a Magnemite. Ethan sent out his Growlithe, knowing that its fire-type attacks would give it a great advantage.

"All right, Growlithe, use Flamethrower," ordered Ethan, watching his Pokémon exhale a powerful blast of fire from his mouth. The Magnemite went down easily, forcing the scientist to send out yet another Magnemite.

"You know, if you want some chance of winning, you should consider getting different kinds of Pokémon," criticized Ethan, sighing in disappointment at the lack of a challenge.

"I don't think you understand the role of being a henchman," countered the scientist, his last Magnemite finally defeated. "Just wait until you see our admins."

With the battle over, he turned and ran off, Ethan losing sight of him. He probably went to warn his bosses of what was going on. If that was the case, it wouldn't be long until the whole place was on high alert. He returned Growlithe to his pokéball and ran back the way he came, hoping to meet up with Lyra and Leaf soon. Halfway through, he almost crashed into his friends, who were also looking for him.

"Lyra, Leaf, I turned off the camera system in the statues," he told them, earning amazed looks.

"Now we can get through this place without much problem," said Leaf, sighing in relief. "Thanks, Ethan. This is really helpful."

"We should hurry up, though. They'll soon figure out what's going on here and we'll start seeing Rocket grunts everywhere."

With that, they quickly, and quietly, made their way through the other half of the halls. They eventually ended up on another long hallway, a staircase at the end. Since the Persian statues were off, they walked through it without any interruption, going down the stairs to the next floor. Lance was already there, much to everyone's surprise.

"Are you all right," he asked them, approaching the group.

"Yeah, we are," replied Lyra, glad that he was also safe. "But, how did you get here with all those Persian statues in the way?"

"It's going to take more than a few grunts to wear me out. Anyway, we should keep going. I know that we're getting closer to the source."

Lance walked ahead of them again, disappearing around the corner.

"We should try to keep up with him," stated Leaf, leading the way for the group. Lyra felt very nervous being there, unsure just what was lying ahead. Dusty stuck close for reassurance, sensing her anxiety. Leaf suddenly stopped in front of a large metal door, a strange device on the wall near it.

"I've never seen something like this before," she said, examining the device.

"Vocal password not recognized," spoke the device with a monotonous tone. "Please try again."

"Great… Guess we're going to have to do some interrogation."

"That'd be no problem," smirked Ethan, putting his arm around Lyra's shoulders. "Lyra and I can help with that!"

"I-Interrogation," stuttered Lyra. "I don't think I can do that! I mean, I can't intimidate people."

"Then you'll be good cop, and I'll be bad cop."

Leaf smiled, rather amazed by how cheerful they were despite the serious situation they were in. Well, Ethan was cheerful, at least. Lyra was obviously tentative about the whole thing, but she also seemed encouraged and motivated by Ethan.

"All right, let's go find that password," Leaf told them. The group moved on through another hallway, spotting another staircase at the end of it. Just as they were nearing it, a Rocket grunt appeared from the side, hidden thanks to the small room near the stairs.

"Hey, you! Do you know the password for the door," loudly asked Leaf, her hand already grabbing her Dugtrio's pokéball.

"You really think that someone who knows the password would be really close to the door it unlocks," asked the grunt, catching Leaf by surprise.

"You have a point. That would be _too_ easy."

"Well, duh."

The grunt sent out his Pokémon – a Golbat – as Leaf sent out her Dugtrio, Terra.

"Really? A Dugtrio," laughed the grunt, believing that his Pokémon had the type-advantage.

"Rock Slide," ordered Leaf, watching as her Pokémon unleashed its attack on the Golbat. "Now that that's done, let's keep going."

Leaf returned her Dugrtio to her ball, leaving the dumbfounded grunt behind. Her juniors followed her, surprised by how effortlessly she won that battle. They went down the staircase, meeting Lance once again.

"Ah, you're here," he said, approaching them. "It seems the only way to unlock the door to the radio transmitter is with the voice of a certain person. The name of the person is Petrel, the Team Rocket Executive."

"Please tell me you know where he is," asked Leaf, hoping that this wouldn't be too difficult.

"I do, and he is hiding in their leader's office. Unfortunately, that room is also protected with a password. We need to get that password first, then we'll try to get some answers from Petrel."

Lyra couldn't help but wonder if "trying to get some answers" was the same as having a Dragonite use Hyper Beam on someone. She watched Lance walk away, disappearing yet again.

"We'll have to split up again," said Leaf, examining the hallways. "Lyra, you head up that way. I'll check out this room over here. Ethan, go down that hall, the same one Lance went. We'll cover more ground this way."

The three parted ways, ready to take on any grunts they met. One of those grunts should know what the password is. Leaf quietly entered the room she was supposed to check, finding two figures there. One was a scientist, the other a standard grunt. She grabbed her Lapras' pokéball, ready to get some answers from these two. The scientist only had Koffing with him, which were easily taken care of with Rain's Psychic. She didn't get much out of him, however, only finding out that he once worked for Silph years ago. Leaf then approached the grunt, the woman holding her ground.

"What? You think I might know the password you're looking for," she asked in a taunting tone. "Well, maybe I do, maybe I don't. Either way, I'm not giving it to a weakling."

"You must be new to Team Rocket, then," smirked Leaf, sending out her Dragonite. "Because if you had seen me three years ago, you'd know that I'm not a weakling."

Ethan wandered down the hall, finding a room that was close to the one that Leaf was in.

"Oh, great," he sighed, his Meganium looking to him in bewilderment. "A scientist and a grunt. Let's get this over with, Meganium. Besides, they might know something."

The scientist, who only had a Ditto, didn't reveal much, only giving his opinion that he didn't care that they were hurting Pokémon and that he was actually excited about the idea of sending nationwide radio signals. After hearing that, Ethan was more than happy that he defeated him. He set his eyes on the only grunt in the room, carefully approaching with Meganium ready to battle.

"You're challenging me to a battle," scoffed the grunt, giving a "hyuck-hyuck" type of laugh. "You're nuts, but you have guts."

"A funny laugh and also does rhymes… Something tells me I'm not going to forget this guy," said Ethan in a low voice.

"I like that! If you can beat me, I'll tell you a password to the boss's room!"

"Jackpot."

Lyra followed the corridor to another staircase, this one heading up. She was unsure if she should just go ahead of Leaf and Ethan, but Dusty was pushing her from behind, encouraging her to go up. Since there was nowhere else to go and with a Pokémon pushing at her legs, going up the staircase seemed to be her only option. She steadily went up the stairs, her Pupitar following. On the next floor, she saw another corridor. She hoped that this one would get her closer to finding out the passwords or Petrel. She walked down the long corridor, realizing that there was a Rocket grunt standing guard at the end.

"Agh, a kid," he groaned when she was close, obviously bothered. "I don't really like this, but I'll have to eliminate you."

At hearing the word "eliminate", Dusty immediately got in front of Lyra, ready to protect her. The grunt sent out a Rattata, which didn't intimidate Dusty in the slightest.

"Dark Pulse, then follow up with Thrash," ordered Lyra, taking a few steps back. The Pupitar concentrated, gathering dark energy in front of him. He released it in a blast, knocking out the Rattata. The grunt's next Pokémon was a Zubat, who already had a type-disadvantage thanks to Dusty's rock-type. Following Lyra's orders, Dusty crashed into the Zubat, Thrash more than enough to defeat it. Finally, the grunt sent out his last Pokémon, yet another Rattata. Still locked in using Thrash, Dusty crashed into the Rattata with full force, leaving it unable to battle further.

"Ugh, damn it," muttered the grunt, returning his unconscious Rattata back to its ball. "First that red-haired kid, now this."

"Red-haired kid," asked Lyra, wondering if he was talking about the same tsundere.

"On my last mission, this kid with long red hair and mean-looking eyes just whomped me."

Lyra turned and descended down the stairs, following the short hallway. The kid that the grunt talked about had to be Silver. She hadn't seen him since Olivine City a long while back. As she got closer to a set of large, metal doors, she heard footsteps approaching her from behind. Speak of the devil…

"So you are messing with them again," he hissed, already getting angry. "You must really like Team Rocket so much."

"Shut up," shouted Lyra, startling him. "Don't you dare assume that I like these horrible people! In fact, you shouldn't even be saying anything, Mister I-Stole-a-Pokémon-from-Cianwood! I heard about what you did over there and—"

"Tell me, who was the guy in the cape who used dragon-type Pokémon," asked Silver, interrupting Lyra's outburst.

"Eh? Oh, that's Lance. He's helping my friends and me with this Team Rocket problem."

"So that's his name… My Pokémon were no match against his, but I can beat him once I get stronger Pokémon."

His eyes looked to the side, giving the impression that something was bothering him.

"Um, are you okay," asked Lyra, taking a few steps closer to see if he was all right.

"I'm fine," he replied harshly. "The loss to him was nothing, it's just… He told me that I don't love and trust my Pokémon enough. I can't believe I lost to someone like that!"

"He says losing to him was nothing but he's actually angry about it," thought Lyra, trying not to laugh.

"Definitely tsundere," she said out loud without thinking. Silver glared at her, which caused Lyra to catch what she just said.

"Hmph, I don't have time for the likes of you!"

He pushed Lyra away, the action surprising Dusty. Before the Pupitar could do anything, Silver stormed off, heading back up the stairs. What Silver didn't know was that he was on Dusty's bad side as of now. Dusty looked up at his trainer, checking to make sure that she was okay.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," assured Lyra, walking up to the large doors nearby. "But we need to find a way to get through these doors."

Dusty tapped against the wall to the left of the doors, showing Lyra a blue button on it. Lyra pressed it, unsure what it did exactly. The piece of wall under it shifted and folded out, revealing a hidden keyboard with an inch-high monitor. The screen displayed a message that said "Enter two passwords". Since Lyra didn't know what the passwords were, she thought this was a good time to regroup with Leaf and Ethan. She turned around and began to head back to the stairs. When she was close to them, she heard footsteps again, looking up to see who was coming down. To her pleasant surprise, it was Ethan and Leaf.

"What is it with people showing up when I think about them," she pondered, smiling at her friends.

"We have the passwords, Lyra," smiled Ethan. "Did you find anything?"

"I found the room Petrel is in," replied Lyra, pointing down the hall.

"Great! All we have to do is put them in and deal with that Petrel guy."

"I also saw Silver again."

"Silver," asked Leaf, eyes wide in surprise. "Did he have long red hair? With gray eyes?"

"You know about him, Leaf?"

"Yeah, I met him in Pallet Town a couple days ago. He tried to steal the Pokémon in the lab there, but I stopped him."

"Yep, we're definitely talking about the same Silver," added Ethan, unsurprised. "Anyway, since the tsundere isn't going to help us here, let's go on ahead and enter those passwords."

"What makes you think he won't help later," asked Leaf as they walked to the metal door.

"Honestly, his attitude and personality are dead giveaways. He only cares about himself. It'd be just like him if he were to walk away in a middle of a Team Rocket crisis and leave us on our own."

Leaf's brown eyes widened slightly in shock and discomfort, an almost unnoticeable reaction. "Almost" in that Lyra caught it. Lyra was concerned for her senior, trying to figure out why she had that type of reaction. When they reached the door, Leaf quietly entered her password "Slowpoketail" and Ethan entered "Raticatetail". The door opened, revealing a man dressed in black sitting by a table. Leaf suddenly gasped, staring at the man.

"G-Giovanni," she stammered, earning surprised looks from Ethan and Lyra.

"Yes, it is I – the majestic Giovanni himself," explained the man, standing up from his chair. "It's a pleasure knowing that you've heard of me!"

"Wait a minute… Giovanni doesn't talk like that, much less sound like that. Not to mention that your face looks different too. Who are you then?"

The imposter grabbed at the suit and hat and tore them off, revealing a Team Rocket uniform underneath along with strange violet hair.

"I'm a Team Rocket Executive," he replied proudly. "You three must be trying to get into the radio-transmitter room. Well, that's not going to happen."

"I think you're underestimating us."

"It won't happen because that room is protected with a special password."

Leaf then remembered how the computer didn't recognize her voice, putting the pieces together.

"You understand, right," continued the executive. "The password is 'Hail Giovanni' but that won't be enough. That door needs _my_ voice."

He suddenly grabbed a pokéball from his waist, Ethan reacting just as quickly by sending out his Ampharos. Petrel sent out a Zubat, and Ethan's Ampharos used Discharge to zap it. The Zubat fell down, stunned and unable to move after the attack. Next, Ethan sent out his Togekiss as Petrel sent out his Koffing. Togekiss concentrated his power to use Extrasensory, the psychic-type attack knocking out the Koffing. Down to his last Pokémon, Petrel seemed to be slightly unnerved at the idea of losing. With Petrel's Raticate now out, Ethan switched out his Pokémon to use his Meganium.

"Use Petal Dance to finish this," ordered Ethan, taking a step back. Flower petals surrounded Meganium, who sent out the flurry at the Raticate. The Raticate tried to avoid the attack but failed as it took the attack. With Raticate down, Petrel was defeated.

"Giovanni, please forgive me," muttered Petrel, returning his Raticate to its pokéball. He looked up at the group, regaining his composure.

"Giovanni has been missing for the past three years," he told them, voice surprisingly calm. "But we're certain he's been waiting for the right time for our revival. Kid, losing to you won't change our plans, especially when you still can't get in the radio-transmitter room!"

Petrel made a mad dash out the door, causing Leaf to try to catch him.

"Get back here," she yelled after him. "I'll tie you up and force you to say the password if I have to!"

Leaf chased Petrel down the hall, leaving Ethan and Lyra alone in the room.

"What do we do now, Ethan," asked Lyra, looking to him. "Without Petrel's voice, we can't do anything more here. And the Magikarp at the Lake of Rage will be—"

"Hail Giovanni!"

Ethan and Lyra froze in place, knowing very well that Petrel had left the room. And yet it sounded as if he had never left.

"Lyra, you heard that, right," whispered Ethan to her.

"Y-Yeah."

Little footsteps approached them, the pair looking down to see a Murkrow staring up at them.

"Hail Giovanni," it squawked, a perfect mimic of Petrel's voice.

"That Pokemon sounds just like Petrel," laughed Lyra. "Hey, can you help us with the password? It's for the door to the radio-transmitter room."

"Hail Giovanni!"

Murkrow ran off, heading in the same direction as Leaf and Petrel.

"Don't let it get away," ordered Ethan, running after it. The duo chased the Murkrow to the upper floor as it repeated the password over and over. They followed it through the halls until they reached the floor where the radio-transmitter was. They also found Leaf there, who was leaning against a wall for support as she panted heavily.

"Leaf, are you okay," asked Lyra, a worried look on her face.

"I… I'm fine. But Petrel got away," she replied breathlessly.

"That's fine, Leaf, because we found another way to get into the room! This Murkrow can help us."

"And it sounds exactly like Petrel," added Ethan. "If we can catch it, that is."

The Murkrow scurried off again, heading for the radio-transmitter room. The three followed the dark bird Pokémon, seeing it stand right in front of the large metal door.

"Hail Giovanni," it squawked loudly, everyone watching the door.

"Vocal password accepted," confirmed the device on the wall. The door opened, revealing a large machine inside. The Murkrow squawked again, and then ran off, probably off to escape from the hideout. The machine was quite loud, its sounds echoing down the halls. To investigate the machine further, the group began to step into the room.

"Hold it right there," shouted a female voice, everyone freezing in their tracks. Everyone turned to see a red-haired woman and Rocket grunt running straight toward them.

"We can't let you brats do whatever you want forever," she growled, now standing near them. "It's bad enough that you even got in here and—"

Her attention focused on Leaf, recognizing the girl she had seen back on the Sevii Islands years ago.

"You again," she hissed, unclipping a pokéball from her waist. "Came back to hurt Team Rocket's pride again? However strong you may be, if my underling and I team up, you'll have no chance of winning. Sorry, but you're going to be thrashed this time!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it," added another voice, undoubtedly Lance. He ran up to them, his Dragonite following close behind.

"This is starting to turn into a party," commented Leaf, noticing all the people around her.

"You're forgetting that this girl entered the Hall of Fame," explained Lance, a smirk on his face. "If I, the current Champion, team up with her, you'll stand no chance against us!"

"More accomplices? Where's your sense of dignity," remarked Ariana with aggravation. "No matter. As interim boss in place of Giovanni, I'll show you how wrong it is to get in Team Rocket's way!"

"Lyra, Ethan," called Leaf, looking to her juniors. "While Lance and I hold them off, try to find a way to shut down that machine!"

"We're on it," replied Ethan, heading into the room. Lyra followed him, seeing Electrode powering the machine with their electricity. Ethan stood there for a few moments, observing the machine and Electrode.

"Lyra, I don't see a switch anywhere. I think we'll have to make the Electrode faint."

"Is that really the only way?"

"Yeah, and it kind of sucks because it's not the Electrode's fault that they were put into this as a power source. But if they're knocked out, the machine will be shut down."

Lyra nodded, still feeling a little guilty that she had to defeat the Pokémon. She switched out Dusty and sent out Cascade, knowing her dual type will be very useful here. Meanwhile, Leaf and Lance were battling against Ariana and her henchman. Leaf's Lapras and Lance's Dragonite were more than enough to take down the duo, Lapras finishing off Ariana's Murkrow with Ice Beam.

"If you joined Team Rocket, you would be an Executive," commented Ariana, returning her faint Murkrow. "Well, this loss isn't too much of a hindrance. The broadcast experiment was a success. It doesn't matter what happens to this hideout. Hopefully you'll soon come to appreciate Team Rocket's true power."

She threw something down on the ground, smoke filling the hallway. Leaf and Lance coughed, trying to find Ariana somewhere in the smoke. Lance's Dragonite flapped its wings to clear up the hall, showing that Ariana and the grunt had escaped.

"Whoa, what the hell happened," asked Ethan, rejoining the two.

"Ariana escaped," explained Leaf, sighing a little. "Did you shut off the machine?"

"Yeah, Lyra and I had to make some Electrode faint, but that's because there was no other way to turn it off. I think she's almost done with her half."

"Ethan, I did it," called out Lyra, joining everyone. "The machine's now completely shut down!"

"Good work, everyone," praised Lance, a proud smile on his face. "That odd signal is finally gone, so the lake should be back to normal now. Ah, by the way, I found this while I was looking around here. Maybe you two can put it to good use?"

He handed Ethan and Lyra a cd, which turned out to be a hidden machine.

"That's Whirlpool," explained Lance. "It can help you cross wild water, but you'll need the Mahogany Town badge before you can use it."

"Well, I know what I'm doing once we leave this place," said Ethan, putting away his HM.

"Lyra, Ethan, you two must know that the journey to becoming the Pokémon Champion is long and difficult. Knowing that, will you keep going?"

"That's not what I want to do, though," replied Lyra, everyone looking at her. "I think I already achieved my dream. But I still want to see how far my Pokémon can take me."

"I see… In that case, I do hope that I can battle with the both of you someday. May we meet again soon!"

Lance walked away with his Dragonite, everyone watching him. With Team Rocket now cleared from the hideout, the group headed back up to the little shop. Outside the window, rain poured down heavily, the wind blowing strongly against the walls. The storm had gotten worse during their confrontation with Team Rocket.

"They're not done yet," muttered Leaf, looking out the window.

"You mean Team Rocket," asked Ethan, closing up the staircase to the lower floors with the golden armoire.

"Yes. They may not be here now, but I think they just moved their plans somewhere else. I don't know where, though. We'll have to be ready for whatever they do next."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Whelp, this took longer than I planned to update. But hey, more Team Rocket battles! I'm not too sure if I should have Leaf leave the group right after the Team Rocket stuff is done and dealt with, or have her stick around and mentor her kohai Ethan and Lyra. I'll figure it out eventually. So, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. And there's still a very good part to look forward to - the Radio Tower.**_


	14. Radio Tower Takeover

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 2: Finding True Power

"All right, Cynder! Are you ready for the next gym," asked an excited Lyra, looking at her Pokémon eagerly. The Typhlosion roared, the fire behind his neck flaring up energetically. The loud noise the two were making brought some attention to them from the others in the Pokémon Center, some chuckling and others sighing in annoyance.

"You sure are full of energy today, Lyra," laughed Ethan, amused by his peppy friend.

"I can't help it! After that Team Rocket stuff yesterday, I feel rejuvenated and more than ready to get my seventh badge!"

"Do you even know what type the gym leader uses here?"

"Yep! I checked it out yesterday, so I know that Cynder will be great at it. By the way, where's Leaf? I'm hoping that she'll wish me luck on this."

"Over there—" Ethan pointed at the girl sitting at the table on the opposite end of the room. "—She's really wrapped in finding out where Team Rocket is now."

Lyra walked over to where Leaf sat, watching as the girl stared very intently at the Pokégear in her hand. She was looking at the map of Johto, her concentration entirely focused on it.

"Um, Leaf? I'm going to challenge the gym leader now," spoke Lyra, watching for any sign of acknowledgement.

Leaf blinked before looking up Lyra, lowering the Pokégear.

"Already? You've been making a lot of progress lately," smiled Leaf, quietly wondering how long it'd take Lyra to get to the Pokémon League.

"I have my Pokémon to thank for that. I wouldn't have gotten this far without them."

"True, but they wouldn't have gotten this strong without you either. It goes hand-in-hand. Anyway, I'd wish you luck on battling the gym leader, but I'm confident that you'll do great."

Lyra couldn't stop herself from grinning, giving a small nod to Leaf before she headed out with Cynder. The pair made the short walk to the gym, which was neighboring the Pokémon Center. They stood outside for a moment, Lyra looking over at the sign. "Pryce: The Teacher of Winter's Harshness" it read. Slightly intimidating, but Lyra ignored it, taking a deep breath as she walked into the gym. That very breath hitched in her throat when the cold air made contact with her skin. Cynder noticed this and stood closer to her, the flames on his neck providing some warmth.

"Th-Thanks, Cynder," she said, walking ahead. She was caught off-guard when she suddenly slipped forward, almost falling over as she slid toward a block of ice. She brought her hands up quickly, stopping herself from crashing into the ice block. The impact still hurt her hands, but it also moved the block forward, which it crashed against another block. Cynder chased after her, sliding up carefully so he wouldn't bump into his trainer.

"Okay, I wasn't expecting the floor to be ice," commented Lyra, looking down to see a good portion of the floor covered in ice. The mist in the air had masked the icy floor cleverly – or from Lyra's recent experience, "annoyingly" would be the right word. She observed the rest of the room, noticing a way to slide to a door on the other side. Grabbing her Pokémon's hand, she led the way across the ice, being careful to not slip and fall. Back on normal floor, they entered the next room, meeting two trainers there. Lyra decided to battle against them so that her Pokémon could get more experience. The first one to battle was the Snowboarder on the left.

"The gym floor is slippery. It's fun, isn't it," he asked Lyra when the girl approached.

"Not, exactly, my idea of fun, though," she sighed, taking a step back to let her Typhlosion battle.

"Good news, then. It's _not_ used for games!"

The boarder sent out a Swinub, which Lyra couldn't help but squeak out of adoration. She composed herself, trying not to let the small, furry Pokémon distract her.

"Flame Wheel, Cynder," she ordered. "Then use Lava Plume for the next one!"

Cynder nodded, running on all fours as the fire on his neck spread out so that it surrounded him. He charged at the Swinub, knocking out the Pokémon from power alone. The boarder switched out his Pokémon, sending out another Swinub. Using the fire of Flame Wheel, Cynder released it so that the flames spread out and hit the Swinub. With the battle over, Lyra waited a moment so that the boarder paid her the winning money before she moved on to the next trainer, who was a Skier.

"To get to Pryce, our gym leader," she began, pointing to her head. "You need to think before you skate."

"So there's a puzzle here," mused Lyra, peering over to the icy floor a few steps away.

The Pokémon the skier sent out was not one Lyra expected. It had blonde hair, seemed to be wearing a red dress, and had big, pink lips as if it was wearing a lot of lipstick.

"That's not cute at all," shuddered Lyra, watching Cynder prepare himself for the new opponent. "Use Lava Plume!"

Cynder concentrated and sent out a burst of flames at the Jynx. The Jynx was defeated, which surprised Lyra because she had no idea that it was an ice-type. At least she learned something new. Her eyes wandered to the ice blocks nearby, glancing over at the door on the other side. It didn't take long for her to realize that she had to line up the blocks so she can get to the door. With Cynder's help, they pushed the block as they slid across the ice, making it easier for them to get to the door.

The next room had more ice blocks and trainers, which was starting to annoy Lyra. Puzzles weren't all that bad, but sometimes she wished the gym leaders could be a little more straightforward. She inhaled deeply, relaxing herself. "Patience, Lyra," she thought to herself, walking toward the closest trainer. The boarder wasn't too difficult to defeat – her Ampharos proved to be stronger than his team of Seel and Dewgong. Now to figure out the ice block puzzle in this room…

To Lyra's surprise, this one was the last one before reaching Pryce. She assumed it was him since he was standing at the far side of the room with nothing else beyond that. All she had to do was find the way to him. Lyra took in the surroundings, staring at the placement of the rocks and ice blocks.

"I got it," she nearly yelled, startling Cynder. "C'mon, Cynder! We're going to get that seventh badge!"

The two pushed the ice block on the right into the one on the left, walking around and sliding across the ice to reach the same blocks. Since the blocks couldn't move, it was a straightway to Pryce. They slowly approached the gym leader, who looked very dignified in his long, blue coat, white scarf, and cane. He had a very serious look on his face, almost glaring at Lyra.

"Pokémon have many experiences in their lives, just like we do," he began, his voice strong and unwavering. "I, too, have seen and suffered much in my life."

"What happened to you," asked Lyra, now concerned.

"Since I am your elder, let me show you what I mean."

He reached into his coat pocket, taking out a pokéball. The fire on Cynder's neck flared up, ready for battle.

"I have been training since before you were born," added Pryce, tossing the pokéball. "I do not lose easily. I, Pryce – the Winter Trainer – shall demonstrate my power!"

The Pokémon that appeared from the ball was a Seel, already giving a type advantage over Cynder.

"Stay down, Cynder," ordered Lyra, grabbing Voltage's pokéball. "Voltage can take care of this."

The Ampharos was released from her pokéball, already eager for battle.

"Thunderpunch," directed Lyra, she and Cynder taking a step back. Voltage nodded, electricity sparking up on her right flipper, and charged at the Seel. The Seel began to summon Ice Shard, sending the ice toward the advancing Ampharos. Voltage jumped out of the way, evading the shards until she was close enough to the Seel to uppercut it with Thunderpunch. Seel was sent flying back, flopping over on its back and unable to battle anymore thanks to the strength of Voltage's move. Voltage huffed, looking a little annoyed at the lack of a challenge. As Pryce prepared to send out his next Pokémon, Lyra called back Voltage, who stood next to her trainer and waited for the next move.

Pryce's next Pokémon was a large, brown Pokémon with short tusks. Its thick fur was long enough to cover its eyes. Lyra wasn't so sure what Pokémon that was, but she decided to have Cynder battle against it.

"Smokescreen, and then follow up with Lava Plume," said Lyra to Cynder. The Typhlosion took a deep breath, his chest puffing up, and breathed out a black smoke at the brown Pokémon. The Pokémon shook its head, obviously uncomfortable with the smoke in its face.

"Use Hail, Piloswine," ordered Pryce, surprisingly calm. Small, thin clouds formed at the ceiling, bits of ice falling down and pelting the two fighting Pokémon. Piloswine was perfectly fine with the weather, but Cynder gritted his teeth against the pelting hail. However, he ran at the Piloswine, the flames on his neck growing larger. He released the fire, using Lava Plume as his trainer instructed. Cynder quickly took a step back, watching the Piloswine waver back and forth from the attack. It finally collapsed on the ground, defeated.

"Good job, Cynder," praised Lyra, Voltage also looking quite impressed. "I need you to get back! Voltage, the rest is yours!"

Voltage stepped in, awaiting the next challenge. Pryce's last Pokémon was a Dewgong, the evolved form of Seel.

"All right, Voltage. Discharge!"

Voltage's body sparked with electricity, concentrating on building it up before releasing it. However, Dewgong took this opportunity to use Aurora Beam, sending the colorful beam at the Ampharos. Voltage took the hit and endured, now giving the Dewgong a glare for the nuisance. She didn't hesitate for a second to release the electricity, hitting the Dewgong with the full force of Discharge. Because of Dewgong's water-type, the attack was enough to knock it out, bringing the battle to an end.

"I am impressed by your prowess," commented Pryce, returning Dewgong to its pokéball as Lyra did the same for Voltage. "With your strong will, I know you will overcome all life's obstacles."

"Oh, um, thank you," blushed Lyra, happy to hear the praise.

"Therefore, you are worthy of this badge!"

Lyra immediately snapped out of her slight embarrassment to watch Pryce reach into his right coat pocket and take out a small badge. She eagerly walked over, offering her hand to accept the badge.

"This Glacier badge will raise the special attacks and defenses of your Pokémon," explained Pryce, handing Lyra the badge. "It will also allow your Pokémon to use Whirlpool to get across real whirlpools. Here's another gift from me—"

This time, he reached inside his coat, taking out a TM from an inner pocket. He gave it to Lyra, who put away the TM in her bag.

"That TM contains Hail," added Pryce, fixing up his coat. "It summons a hailstorm that lasts for a while, and it can damage every type except ice-types. Remember, Lyra, that when the ice and snow melt, spring arrives. I know that you and your Pokémon will be together for many years to come. Always cherish your time together."

"Thanks, Pryce. I will," smiled Lyra, gently petting her Typhlosion's back. "Cynder, let's head back to the Pokémon Center. You earned the break."

Cynder growled happily, following his trainer back to the front of the gym. For a short moment, Lyra felt like she was on cloud nine. She had earned her seventh badge, and all she needed now was to get one more badge to complete the gym challenge. Her Pokémon were getting stronger by the day, and it certainly made her happy that she was the reason they were like that. Back outside, Lyra really wanted to show Leaf her new badge and give her Pokémon some rest. The abrupt sound of her Pokégear ringing surprised her, and she pulled out the device from her bag and answered it.

"Lyra, how are things going," asked Professor Elm on the other line.

"Oh, hi, professor! Things are going great so far. I just got my seventh badge."

"Hm, I take it that you haven't noticed yet."

"Noticed what?"

"Well, I called because something strange is happening with the radio broadcasts. They were talking about Team Rocket."

Lyra froze in shock, unable to find the words to ask Elm for more information.

"Has Team Rocket returned? It can't be true, right? Lyra, you and Ethan stay safe out there. Bye!"

Elm hung up, leaving Lyra speechless on the other line. She slowly brought the Pokégear away from her ear, pressing the button to hear the radio.

"Testing! One, two, three," announced an unfamiliar voice. "We're the amazing Team Rocket! It's been three years but we've rebuilt the team and restructured! We're proud to announce that we're back! Giovanni! Can you hear this? We did it! Where could the boss be, I wonder? I wonder if he heard the announcement."

Lyra quickly shut the Pokégear and ran for the Pokémon Center, an alarmed Cynder chasing after her. She had to let Leaf know right away. However, as she entered the building and took in the situation, she realized she didn't have to do that.

"I knew it," yelled Leaf, her right hand balled into a fist. "I knew that they were regrouping somewhere else!"

"You heard the announcement, didn't you," asked Lyra cautiously as she approached the older girl and Ethan.

"Yeah, we heard it just a couple moments ago when Leaf wanted to listen to the radio," replied Ethan, sighing. "This is definitely not a good thing."

"The Radio Station," mused Leaf, biting her lower lip. "They hijacked the tower! Lyra, Ethan, we have to head there now!"

"But Leaf, I need to heal up my Pokémon first," said Lyra, running over to the nurse. "If you want, you and Ethan can go ahead. I'll catch up."

Leaf and Ethan looked to each other before nodding in agreement, heading outside. Lyra waited as patiently as she could for her Pokémon to be returned to her from the nurse. She knew that every second mattered against Team Rocket, but she wanted her Pokémon to be healthy before taking on that threat. With her pokemon now healed, she ran outside and released Zephyr from her ball.

"Hurry, Zephyr," rushed Lyra, climbing onto her Noctowl. "To Goldenrod City!"

Zephyr waited until Lyra was secure on her back before taking off. She was not going to risk her trainer falling off in midflight, no matter how impatient she was. The Noctowl did her best to fly as fast as possible to Goldenrod City, managing to make it there in about ten minutes. From a distance, Goldenrod looked the same as usual to Lyra. However, once they landed in front of the Pokémon Center, it became blatantly obvious that there was something wrong. She and Zephyr looked around, the streets unsettlingly empty of people. The once bustling metropolis had turned into a ghost town.

They walked down the main street, keeping an eye out for anyone. Lyra felt a sudden pull on her left hand, bringing her into an alley. To her surprise, Leaf was the one who pulled her, the older girl gesturing to her to stay silent.

"'Bout time you got here," commented Ethan, standing next to Leaf.

"Where is everybody," asked Lyra, Leaf letting go of her hand.

"They're staying in their homes," replied Leaf, looking back to the street. "Much safer there than it is out here. Anyway, Ethan and I did some investigating, and we figured out a way to get into the tower undetected."

"So, what's the plan then?"

"Joining Team Rocket, so to speak."

"What," yelled Lyra, both Ethan and Leaf shushing her.

"It's not what you think," explained Ethan, giving his friend reassurance. "We overheard some grunts by the tower to not let anyone in who isn't wearing a Rocket uniform. Now, where do you think we can get some uniforms in this city?"

Lyra thought for a moment, trying to figure out the answer. She then remembered taking a photo with her Pokémon in the underground tunnel in this very city.

"Oh! That photo place in Goldenrod's underground tunnel," answered Lyra, getting the idea of the plan.

"Right! So, we're going over there to get some uniforms, sneak past the guards at the tower, and then take them out from the inside."

"Whatever you do, Lyra," added Leaf, looking right into her junior's eyes. "Don't lose. This is something where success is really important. Also, don't be afraid to get a little rest. If you keep going on without rest for yourself or your Pokémon, you're going to end up in a lot of trouble."

"Okay, I got it," nodded Lyra, Zephyr hooting in agreement. "Let's go get those uniforms!"

"By the way, you should probably put your Noctowl in her pokéball. We'll be able to sneak into the underground tunnel easier that way, but once we get those uniforms, you can let any of your Pokémon out."

Lyra glanced at Zephyr, hoping she understood that she'd have to be in a ball for a bit. Zephyr stared at Lyra for a brief moment before giving a small nod, allowing to be drawn back into her pokéball. Now that it was just the three of them, they quietly made their way through the streets, being careful not to draw attention. They managed to get into the tunnel's southern entrance, which was also empty of people. All that was left was to go to the photography section. When they approached the small area, a Rocket grunt spotted them as he leaned against a wall. He was most likely guarding the place.

"What the hell are you kids doing here," he asked, meeting them halfway. "You got a lot of guts to come picking a fight!"

"Whoa there, man, you got it all wrong," explained Ethan, taking a step forward. "We're just here to get our uniforms."

"Your uniforms?"

"Yeah," added Leaf, smiling. "We recently joined Team Rocket, but we got moved here before we could get our uniforms."

"And we need those to get into the Radio Tower and provide backup for everyone there," chimed in Lyra. "We don't want to standby and do nothing, you know? Team Rocket needs everyone's support to make the plan successful."

"I see… Then you must be the new recruits for the Radio Tower mission," said the grunt. "All right, step this way."

He led them to the room nearby, handing them a uniform each.

"We actually ran out of uniforms, so you guys can, uh, 'borrow' these for the meantime," added the grunt, pointing inside the room. "There are stalls inside to get changed. Come talk to me once you're done."

The three went inside the room, each picking a random stall. Since Lyra had done this before, she was dressed into the uniform in less than five minutes. She decided to wait for the others outside, taking the chance to let the grunt know that she was ready for her "mission."

"Looking good there," complimented the grunt, giving her a thumbs-up. "Now head on over to the Radio Tower. I just got word that we need more grunts there. Right on time, eh?"

"Um, okay, I'll go now."

Lyra headed for the northern stairs, disappointed that she couldn't wait a little longer for Ethan and Leaf. She'll have to wait inside the Radio Tower before taking action. After all, "take them out from the inside" wasn't very specific on how they should go about doing that. When she was back outside, she figured it was time to let one of her Pokémon out. She grabbed Dusty's pokéball and released him, smiling at the rock-type Pokémon. The Pupitar looked a little confused as to why his trainer was dressed as Team Rocket, especially after the incident in Mahogany Town.

"It's a disguise," whispered Lyra, pointing at the uniform. "It's so we can get in the Radio Tower without any trouble."

Dusty blinked, seemingly understanding the situation. He loyally followed Lyra to the Radio Tower, keeping a careful watch on the other grunts should they threaten his trainer. They stepped inside the large building, walking toward the only Rocket grunt that stood by the stairs. The grunt noticed Lyra and grinned.

"You must be here to give us backup. Thank goodness we hired new recruits," he sighed with content. "Go on ahead and take your post on the third floor."

"Okay, thanks," smiled Lyra, finding it unbelievable how easy it was to infiltrate the criminal organization.

"Hey, Team Rocket," yelled a familiar voice, causing Lyra to freeze right when she had taken the first step on the stairs.

"No, no, not him," she thought with anguish, afraid to look back. "Please, Arceus, don't let him recognize me!"

"Stop going around in groups and troubling people, you cowards! Wait a minute…"

Lyra then felt a forceful tug as she was pulled from the stairs, being turned so that she was face-to-face with Silver.

"Aren't you Lyra," he asked, Lyra looking away to avoid eye contact.

"Nope, never heard of her," she replied, using the deepest voice she can manage.

"Stop fooling around! What the heck are you even doing here?"

"Um, uh…"

"No… You think you're strong now that you look like them?"

"Huh? That's not it!"

"That's foolish," he yelled, grabbing at her shirt. "You shouldn't wear those things!"

"Wait! What are you doing? Stop!"

He pulled the shirt so hard that the seams began to give, rips appearing on the front and sides. Lyra screamed, grabbing his hand to stop him while using her other hand to keep the material from completely ripping apart. Silver _could_ have ripped that shirt to shreds, but he had forgotten one thing: a very angry Pupitar that was already holding a grudge against him. Dusty didn't waste another second to tackle Silver, pushing him about fifteen feet away from Lyra. The boy fell on his back, looking up with surprise at the glaring Dusty.

"Dusty, thanks a bunch," praised Lyra, holding up her shirt that could no longer stay intact on its own.

"Lyra! What's going on," asked Ethan, running toward her with Leaf. "We heard you scream outside the tower and – what happened to your shirt?"

"Silver tried to rip it off!"

"Dude, what the hell is wrong with you," shouted Ethan, glaring at Silver.

"Silver, you shouldn't be ripping clothes off of girls," scolded Leaf, standing in front of Lyra. "That's just not right!"

"Even you two are in Team Rocket," asked Silver, ignoring their comments.

"Well, um, of course we are!"

"That's bullshit," interrupted the grunt, now stepping in front of them. "This girl proved that the three of you were lying to get into the tower! I can't believe you were that close to getting through!"

"Your fault for not checking for proof, stupid," insulted Leaf, watching the grunt.

The grunt took out a pokéball, which Dusty noticed and quickly charged so that he was standing in front of Leaf and Lyra. Ethan took a few steps away, keeping an eye on Silver who had stood up. The grunt sent out a Raticate, bearing its teeth at Dusty.

"Rock Slide, Dusty," ordered Lyra, getting away from Leaf to direct her Pokémon.

Dusty summoned rocks above the Raticate, crashing them down upon the rat Pokémon. The rocks were strong enough to knock out the Raticate, forcing the grunt to send out another Raticate.

"Another Rock Slide should do it!"

As Lyra predicted, the move was enough to take out the remaining Raticate. With the battle over, the grunt looked worried, glancing at all three of them.

"You could spoil our plan," he muttered, returning Raticate to its pokéball. "I have to inform the others."

He made a mad dash up the stairs, barely managing to evade a tackle from Dusty. Both the Pupitar and Lyra glared at the grunt before turning their glares onto Silver.

"I see… So you three were trying to sneak by," he said in a low voice, a little unnerved by the glares.

"Yeah, but thanks to you, the plan's gone to shit," criticized Ethan, obviously angry.

"Hmph, a typical plan of the meek!"

"What? You actually think just barging through and using force will take them out easily?"

"Of course it'd be easy if you're prepared. No matter, if you all want to fight them so badly, then I'll let you handle this."

Silver began to walk away until Leaf stepped forward.

"Silver, are you really just going to leave us behind to deal with them on our own," she asked, her voice wavering a little.

"I've got other plans to take care of. I have to defeat that Dragon Tamer… Lance! After that, there's someone else I need to face."

Silver ran off, heading outside the building. Ethan glanced over at Leaf, noticing how dumbfounded she seemed by Silver's reply. Was she honestly expecting some other answer by him? His eyes then wandered over to Lyra, who was covering herself up with her arms. At first, he thought she would be crying or scared over what just happened to her. Her expression, however, was one of pure anger, and her Pupitar shared the emotion.

"Lyra, you should change back to your clothes," said Ethan, turning away. "But I don't get why you didn't wear the uniform over your clothes like Leaf and I did."

"I wasn't expecting for someone to rip the uniform off," seethed Lyra, walking by the stairs and changing in the corner. "Stupid Silver… I'm going to give him hell next time I see him!"

"Hey, Leaf, stop spacing out and give some cover for Lyra!"

Leaf snapped out of it and quickly walked over to Lyra, turning away and keeping a lookout for anyone who'll stumble by. Since their covers were blown, Ethan and Leaf also removed the Rocket uniforms, knowing they'll have to face the villainous team on their own. When Lyra finished changing, the three decided to head up, Leaf sending out her Charizard and Ethan releasing his Togekiss. All three Pokémon seemed prepared for what lied ahead, and the group headed up to the second floor. The three trainers could already see Rocket grunts on this floor, probably trying to secure it against them.

"All right, let's split up and battle them," explained Leaf to the others. "We'll be able to clear the floors easier that way."

"Got it," replied Lyra and Ethan, heading to the closest grunts. With four grunts on the current floor, it didn't take very long for the group to defeat them. Before heading up to the third floor, they checked on the hostages, who were thankfully unharmed. On the third floor, there were only three grunts guarding the floor. They didn't reveal much about the Executives' plans, but a hostage did tell them that the main Executive sealed himself away in a separate part of the building and that only the director can open the metal door. The director was on the fifth floor, though. Of course, with the progress the group was making, it didn't seem that far off.

The fourth floor didn't have many grunts – just like the third floor, there were only three. They didn't have many Pokémon either, which made it easier for them to get to the fifth floor. At the top floor, there was one man there, sitting behind his desk. The room was empty of grunts, potted plants and paintings seemed to be the only company of the man. He seemed surprisingly busy for someone who had their building taken over by Team Rocket. Of course, that made something feel "off" about him. The group walked toward him, assuming that he was the director. It was when they were standing right in front of his desk that Ethan felt something was wrong.

"Ahem, this is the director," began the man, speaking into a microphone. "We have decided to broadcast wonderful shows to praise Team Rocket! Everyone, I don't want to hear you complain. Just do a good job to—"

"It's you! I thought you looked familiar," interrupted Ethan, recognizing the man. "Trying to impersonate the director this time, Petrel?"

"Petrel," questioned Lyra and Leaf, now staring intently at the man.

"Ugh, you again," growled Petrel. He looked down at the microphone, noticing that it was still on.

"Damn it! Now I'll never be able to influence the entire region to support Team Rocket," he added, shutting off the mic. "That's it! This time I won't hold back! Give me all you've got, Ethan!"

Petrel sent out a Koffing as Togekiss flew in front of Ethan to fight. Leaf looked at the desk, noticing a card key among the mess of papers. She snatched it before Petrel realized what happened.

"Ah, the basement key," yelled Petrel, wanting to take the card away from Leaf.

"'For Goldenrod Tunnel use only,'" read Leaf, backing away as Lyra followed her. "Guess Lyra and I will head over then. The real director has to be in there somewhere. Ethan, you keep him busy!"

"Of course," assured Ethan, watching his Togekiss use Extrasensory to knock out the Koffing. The two girls made their way down the floors to get outside as soon as possible. As they ran to the underground tunnel, Lyra wondered where the other executives were at. So far, they had encountered Petrel, which meant that Ariana and Proton had to be around somewhere. Lyra decided to save that thought for later, what mattered now was to find and rescue the director. Now in the underground tunnel, Leaf and Lyra went directly for the only place that had been off-limits before. However, someone else was waiting there, a somewhat familiar person.

"A Kimono Girl? What are you doing here," asked Lyra to the older woman.

"Team Rocket has been running around," she replied, bowing in greeting. "I was wondering what was going on. So, you two are fighting against Team Rocket?"

"There's also our friend Ethan," added Leaf, basement key in hand. "We're all doing what we can to stop them."

"Impressive! Hm, you may be able to face the legendary— Ah! Never mind. I must go now. I wish you all the best for the upcoming battles."

The Kimono Girl bowed again before walking away, taking rhythmic steps as she did.

"Leaf, what do you think she was trying to say," asked Lyra when the Kimono Girl was gone.

"I'm not so sure. When this is all done, you can ask her about it later."

They walked the remaining steps to the locked door ahead, Leaf inserting the card key to unlock it. There was a click, and then the door shifted and slid open. The pair walked in, already seeing two grunts standing guard.

"I'll take the one on the left, you can get the other one," said Leaf, getting her pokéball ready for the next battle.

Leaf walked quickly ahead, leaving Lyra behind. Just as Lyra was about to walk over to the second grunt, she heard footsteps behind her. She and her Pupitar turned to see the last person they wanted to see at the moment.

"What do you want this time," demanded Lyra, Dusty glaring at Silver. "Came to rip up my cosplay, too?"

"First off, what I told you before was to deceive you," explained Silver, keeping a wary eye on the Pupitar. "I thought it would let me tail you, and it would lead me to Lance."

"And how did that turn out?"

"Well, he never showed up. No matter, I was planning to beat you after Lance, but since you are here, I will repay my debts!"

"What? Don't you think an apology is in order for what you did earlier?"

Silver had already sent out his Golbat, forcing Dusty to stand ahead of Lyra and battle.

"Dusty, Rock Slide," ordered Lyra, angry that Silver had not apologized. "And don't hold back!"

Dusty summoned large rocks over the Golbat, forcing them to crash down and knock out the Golbat with more power than usual. Silver actually seemed surprised, returning his Golbat and sending out a new Pokémon. This dark blue Pokémon had long claws and odd feather-like growths on its back. He definitely did not have this Pokémon last time they battled. Where did he find it? Lyra's eyes suddenly widened in shock, her memory reminding her of the stolen Pokémon in Cianwood City.

"That's… That's the Pokémon you stole," yelled Lyra, reaching a boiling point. "Stealing the Totodile that was supposed to go to Kris just wasn't enough for you!"

"And what are you going to do about it?"

His voice was mocking, Lyra gritting her teeth to keep her anger in check.

"Rock Slide," yelled Lyra, watching her Pupitar summon rocks again. The Sneasel, surprisingly, just walked up to Dusty, catching him off-guard. Dusty expected an attack, but the Sneasel merely smirked at him. Dusty figured he should just carry on with Rock Slide, focusing his attack. That was the moment the Sneasel chose to strike, slashing at Dusty and knocking him back. Faint Attack didn't hurt him very much, but it still annoyed the Pupitar that he fell for the trick. He finally unleashed the rocks on the Sneasel, which was knocked out from attack. Silver sent out his next pokemon, one Lyra was able to somewhat recognize. It was a Feraligatr, definitely the last evolution of Croconaw.

"Stand down, Dusty," ordered Lyra, sending out Voltage to fight. "Let Voltage take care of this!"

The Ampharos seemed eager, believing the opposing Pokémon in front of her would be a challenge.

"Voltage, use Discharge!"

At the enraged tone, Voltage couldn't help but look back at her trainer. The look on Lyra's face was all the answers she needed, recognizing this look as the same one she had back at the Slowpoke Well. Voltage smirked in content, feeling energized thanks to Lyra. If she could admit it, she would say that she actually liked when her trainer was like this. When she was angry at Proton back in Azalea Town, Lyra was obviously braver than usual, something Voltage wanted out of her.

Voltaged concentrated the electricity on her body, building it up and releasing it before the Feraligatr could strike. The attack momentarily stunned the Feraligatr before he fell forward, unable to battle further. Voltage snorted in annoyance, very disappointed that Feraligatr didn't give her the battle she wanted. The next Pokémon Silver sent out was a Haunter, Lyra switching out Voltage for Zephyr.

"Use Confusion," commanded Lyra, Zephyr giving a small nod. With all the ghost-types she had battled, particularly Gastly and its evolutions, Zephyr was accustomed to using her psychic powers on them. So long as they have the poison-type as well, she should have no problem. Her mind focused on the Haunter, directing her attack on it. The Haunter took the attack, but it endured, countering with Confuse Ray. Unlike Confusion, this successfully confused Zephyr, who was teetering left and right. She did her best to keep her balance, her eyes seeing more than one Haunter now. She fell over and hurt herself, Haunter using this opportunity to use Mean Look to prevent escape.

Luckily, Zephyr snapped out of it, using Confusion again to finish off Haunter. Now down to his last Pokémon, Silver sent out his Magnemite. Lyra returned Zephyr to her pokéball, sending out Cascade to battle against Magnemite. Cascade waved happily at the Magnemite, seemingly unaware of the situation.

"Cascade, use Earthquake!"

The Quagsire glanced over at Lyra and then back at the Magnemite. She clapped her flippers together before jumping up and landing on her feet. Her landing triggered Earthquake, the building also shaking as Magnemite took the attack. Magnemite fell down to the floor, the battle now concluded.

"Why… Why do I lose," muttered Silver in frustration, returning Magnemite to its pokéball. "I've picked the strongest Pokémon. So why did I lose?"

"You're damn right you lost! That'll teach you to think twice before ripping my clothes and humiliating me," yelled Lyra, Dusty still glaring at Silver.

"I don't understand… Is what that Lance guy said true," asked Silver, gray eyes looking down. "That I don't treat Pokémon properly?"

At hearing this, Lyra's fury dampened, surprised to hear that he was starting to acknowledge his treatment of his Pokémon. Well, at least it seemed he was having doubts about his method.

"Love and trust – are they really what I lack? Are they keeping me from winning?"

Lyra honestly had no answer for that. Who's to say if that really was keeping him away from victory?

"I just don't understand. But it's not going to end here, not now. Not because of this," he continued, giving Lyra a determined look. "I won't give up my dream of becoming the world's best Pokémon trainer!"

Before Lyra could say a word, Silver turned and ran back up the stairs. She couldn't help but feel a little worried about him, even after the crap he put her through. The guy looked like he was having some kind of crisis, as if everything was flipped upside-down for him. Maybe all he needed was time to think. She sighed, focusing back on her current situation. To her surprise, Leaf had just finished battling against the grunt she was supposed to battle. Her Raichu looked up contently at his trainer, who smiled back.

"Don't worry, Lyra. I got you covered," assured Leaf as the younger girl approached. "You looked like you needed that battle against Silver so I took care of the grunts here while you did that."

"You battled them all?"

"Yeah, and that color-coded door puzzle they had there was no problem for me. It's definitely nothing compared to those annoying sliding tiles they had back then. Anyway, let's not waste any more time here."

Leaf and Lyra quickly moved on, Lyra following the older girl to a doorway on the southern part of the floor. The next room was a long hallway, only boxes cluttering it up. There didn't seem to be any grunts around, but they could be hiding behind the larger boxes or waiting further ahead. Footsteps approached them from behind, the two girls turning to see Ethan and his Togekiss joining them.

"Sorry that took a while," panted Ethan, gesturing behind him. "Petrel only had Koffing and Weezing. He also told me that the director is being kept somewhere down here for sure."

"I hope he's safe, wherever he is," worried Lyra, looking down the hall. The group warily walked down the hall, keeping an eye out for any grunts that could be around. They had only encountered one so far, who was waiting by the corner for any intruders. Leaf took care of him easily with Static the Raichu. The second grunt they met? Well, that was someone Ethan was familiar with.

"Hey, I remember you," laughed the grunt, the one with "hyuck" type of laugh. "You got me good at our hideout back in Mahogany!"

"Oh, uh, nice to see you again, I guess," greeted Ethan, unsure if this grunt was hostile or not. That changed when the grunt sent out a Grimer, Ethan's Togekiss flying ahead to battle. Thankfully, he had the same Pokémon as before, Togekiss winning the battle for Ethan. With the grunt defeated, they continued on down the hallway as they passed by a staircase. They passed by some boxes, only to find a grunt hiding behind a very large box.

"How did you get this far," he interrogated, looking both annoyed and surprised. "It can't be helped – I'll just have to dispose of you."

"I don't think so," retorted Leaf, sending out her Lapras as the grunt released his Koffing. Both of his Koffing didn't stand a chance against Rain's Psychic.

"Don't get too full of yourself! Team Rocket will keep going, waiting for Giovanni's return. We'll do whatever it takes."

They walked by him, Leaf trying not to think too much about his warning.

"Hello? Is somebody there," asked a voice further down the hall.

"Is that who I think it is," mused Ethan as the group ran the rest of the way. At the end of the hall, a man in a brown suit was sitting on the ground with his hands tied up. Leaf quickly went to him and began to undo the rope that kept his hands together. Lyra's eyes briefly set on the strange looking feathers in his hat, one giving a silvery shine and the other a bold red, white, and green.

"Thank goodness someone finally came to my rescue," sighed the director, standing up when Leaf untied the rope. "I thought Team Rocket was going to keep me here for as long as they wanted. Ah, that reminds me! The Radio Tower! What's going on there?"

"It's been overrun by Team Rocket," replied Lyra, watching the director's expression fall. "They're still there, but some of them are hiding in a separate part of the tower that we can't get to."

"I believe I know what part you're talking about."

The director opened his coat and took out a card from an inner pocket, handing it to Lyra.

"This card key should open that door. Please, you must stop them before they take control of the transmitter. From what I've heard, they plan to use it to control Pokémon with a special signal."

"Special signal," thought Leaf, wondering what that meant. "Hold on… The Lake of Rage! Lance said that the Magikarp there were being forced to evolve because of a radio signal. If they can do that… they'll figure out a way to control Pokémon."

"It's going to be okay," assured Lyra, snapping Leaf from her thoughts. "We'll make sure that that won't happen."

"Thank you. You should get going now. Time is of the essence now. I'll stay here because if they know that I'm gone, it's going to alarm them."

The group left the director behind, a little uncertain if that really was a wise choice. But, it was better to not attract any more attention from Team Rocket. They went to the staircase they passed by earlier, heading upstairs. They ended up in a basement of some kind, which was full of boxes and even had an elevator. Once they entered the elevator to leave, they found out where they were out.

"Thanks for shopping with us at the Goldenrod Department Store," said the woman inside, smiling politely at them. "Which floor would you like to go to?"

"First floor, please," said Leaf as they stepped inside.

"Certainly. Elevator going up."

The elevator shifted and moved, Togekiss and Dusty very uncomfortable with the small space and movement. A bell chimed when they reached the first floor, the doors opening up.

"First floor: service counter and main entrance," explained the woman as everyone walked out. Once they were outside, that walk changed into a dash to the Radio Tower. They ran up the floors in the tower to the third floor, where the secure door was at. Out of breath, Lyra swiped the card in the device next to the door. A green light lit up on it as the doors opened, revealing a small room with another staircase and a Rocket grunt. The grunt turned and spotted them, heading straight for Lyra.

"Did the door open because of you," he demanded, sending out a Raticate.

"Yeah, but that should have been obvious," replied Lyra, Dusty starting off with Rock Slide. Raticate, being quicker, attacked with Super Fang first, but the attack didn't hurt Dusty much. Rock Slide, on the other hand, successfully knocked out the Raticate. The next Pokémon the grunt sent out was a Koffing, Lyra sending out Voltage to battle it.

"Use Thunderpunch," ordered Lyra, watching Voltage's flipper spark up. The Ampharos charged at the Koffing and hit it with a right swing. Koffing was knocked back, unable to continue battling. With the grunt defeated, they went upstairs, meeting a familiar face.

"P-Proton," gasped Lyra, surprised to see him again.

"It's you," yelled Proton, advancing toward them with his eyes on Lyra. "You're the one who got in our way at the Slowpoke Well! Now you're doing all this to make me angry? But since you seem to wish it, I'll show you the full extent of a Team Rocket Executive's wrath!"

"Not if I got something to say about it," interrupted Ethan, stepping forward. "If you're going to get to Lyra, you'll have to get through me first."

"Ethan? Are you sure," asked Lyra, giving a worried look.

"Don't worry, I got this under control. Besides, we can't have this guy slowing us down, right? You and Leaf have to go on ahead. I bet there's more ahead anyway."

As Proton and Ethan began to battle, Leaf and Lyra hurried up the stairs. Just as Ethan predicted, there was someone there standing guard. It was Ariana, who seemed very aggravated at seeing Leaf again.

"Don't think I've forgotten what you did back in Mahogany Town," she said, glaring at Leaf as they approached. "This time… It's just going to be me and you, Leaf."

"So you actually know my name," commented Leaf, getting her pokéball in hand.

"Of course, I can't forget the person who disbanded Team Rocket three years ago. Even if you beat me again, which I doubt, you'll stand no chance against the last Executive. He's the strongest of us all! Now, let's finish this!"

Ariana tossed a pokéball, an Arbok emerging from it.

"Lyra, go on and find the last Executive while I deal with Ariana," instructed Leaf, sending out her Dugtrio. "It's up to you."

"What? But shouldn't you be the one to do it," asked Lyra, surprised by the sudden demand. "You and Red were the ones to defeat Team Rocket last time!"

"It's true – Red and I were the heroes back then. Kanto already has its heroes; it's time for Johto to have some."

"But, I don't think I can—"

"Lyra, I know you can do it. I've seen the way you battle, and you're a natural at it. If you can't take my word for it, then look at your badges. Isn't that enough proof that you have what it takes? You have more strength in you than you know."

Lyra stood silent, thinking back at all her battles with the gym leaders in Johto. Cynder, Zephyr, Voltage, Cascade, and Dusty… They were all there to help her through. They've grown strong together, and it was time to show just how strong they are.

"Okay, Leaf. I'll go ahead. Be careful," said Lyra, running toward the elevator. She could hear the sounds of Ariana's Arbok and Leaf's Dugtio battling as they entered the elevator. Inside, Lyra pressed the button to go up, her heart beating rapidly as the elevator moved. She couldn't help but feel a little nervous about the last Executive. She felt a nudge at her legs, and she looked down to see Dusty staring up at her. It was a hard gaze, showing that he was determined to help her in any way he can. The elevator stopped and the doors opened, the two stepping out. The large, circular room seemed to be empty. At least until Lyra walked to the back of the room and saw a blue-haired man looking out the window. He was wearing a white suit, somewhat similar to Ariana's. There was no doubt that he was the last Executive.

Lyra's Pokégear took this opportunity to ring, causing the man to turn around, a dull surprise on his face. Lyra quickly checked it, the caller ID reading "Joey."

"Sorry, Joey, you'll have to tell me about your super-cool Rattata later," thought Lyra, making her Pokégear hang up. She looked up at the man, returning his gaze.

"Oh? You managed to get this far," he asked calmly, looking straight into Lyra's eyes. "You must be quite the trainer."

"So, is it true," began Lyra, raising her voice. "You wanted this tower to control Pokémon?"

"Well, that's the secondary plan. What we intended from taking over the Radio Tower was to announce our comeback to our boss Giovanni. That should bring him back from his solitary training."

There was a spark of delight in his eyes, welcoming the idea of seeing his former boss again. That spark quickly faded, suddenly turning into a glare as he reached for a pokéball.

"I, Archer, will not allow you to interfere with our meticulous plans," he said in a loud voice. Dusty immediately got in front of Lyra, ready to protect her from Archer and his Pokémon. Archer threw a pokéball and sent out a Houndour, a black dog-like Pokémon.

"Dusty, Rock Slide," ordered Lyra, carefully watching Archer. Dusty summoned rocks to crash down on the Houndour, which proved to be effective because of Houndour's fire-type. With the Houndour knocked out, Archer sent out a Koffing next.

"Stand down, Dusty! Zephyr will take care of this," commanded Lyra, grabbing her Noctowl's pokéball and tossing it. "Zephyr, use Confusion!"

Zephyr stared very intently at the Koffing, focusing her mind to release Confusion. The psychic attack greatly weakened Koffing, but it was still able to battle. Koffing retaliated with Smokescreen, the thick smoke hurting Zephyr's eyes.

"Another Confusion should be enough," shouted Lyra to her Pokémon. Noctowl gave a small nod, doing her best to focus on the Koffing. Smokescreen had made it a little difficult to focus, but Zephyr successfully attacked with Confusion, defeating the Koffing. Down to his last Pokémon, Archer looked more determined than before to win.

"I can't have you getting in the way before news of our resurgence reaches Giovanni," he said loudly as he sent out a Houndoom. Lyra switched out Zephyr and sent out Cascade to battle the Houndoom. Cascade momentarily looked around before realizing the intensity of the situation, holding her ground against the opposing Pokémon.

"All right, Cascade! Use Earthquake," directed Lyra, preparing herself for the magnitude of the attack. The Houndoom suddenly rushed forward, using Faint Attack to hurt Cascade a bit. With Houndoom now close to her, Cascade lifted her right foot and stomped, the room beginning to shake violently. Houndoom then fell to the ground, unable to get up after taking the full force of Earthquake.

"No! Forgive me, Giovanni," shouted Archer, returning his faint Pokémon back to its ball. "How could this be…?"

"Lyra," called out voices from behind, Lyra looking over her shoulder to see Ethan and Leaf running toward her. When they saw Archer, they slowed down and watched him carefully.

"It's okay, guys," said Lyra, Cascade and Dusty standing close to her. "He's not going to do anything."

"It seems our dreams have come to naught," said Archer to Lyra. "I was not up to the task after all. Like Giovanni has done before me, I will disband Team Rocket here today. Farewell!"

Archer threw down a smoke bomb, filling the room with smoke. Everyone tried to search for him to keep him from escaping, but he was already gone by the time the smoke cleared.

"He got away," stated Ethan, sighing. "And knowing how crappy the police of Johto are, he's not going to see any jail time."

"At least Team Rocket is disbanded for good, though," added Leaf. "It's all thanks to you two."

"And thanks for helping us out, Leaf," thanked Lyra with a smile. "It would have been really difficult without you around."

They heard someone approaching and looked to see the director again.

"You've defeated them! Thank you," he said sincerely. "Your courageous actions have saved Pokémon nationwide. Please, I'd like you to have these."

He took off his hat and plucked the feathers in it, giving the silver feather to Lyra and the multicolored feather to Ethan.

"I'm sorry that I don't have anything to give you," he told Leaf. "But I do recognize you. You saved the Silph Company from Team Rocket and you came here to save the Radio Tower. Leaf, you really are a hero."

Leaf shook her head, a gentle smile on her face, and added, "No, the real heroes are Ethan and Lyra. I only helped this time around."

"But you still did the right thing. On Goldenrod's behalf, I'd like to thank you all for saving the Radio Tower from Team Rocket."

"Um, Mr. Director? Where did you get this feather," asked Lyra, holding the feather up to see the light reflect off it. "It has a weird silver shine. I've never seen anything like it."

At that, Leaf looked at both Lyra's and Ethan's feathers, filled with curiosity and fascination of the strange feathers.

"There used to be a different tower here," explained the director. "When the tower was replaced with the Radio Tower, that silver feather was found at the top. The rainbow feather I found on a trip to Ecruteak City. A friend from Cianwood told me that the silver feather should be taken to the Whirl Islands, and the rainbow feather to the Bell Tower of Ecruteak."

"Do you think they belong to a rare Pokémon," asked Leaf excitedly. "I've never seen a Pokémon with that kind of color before. It'd be a major discovery to find them!"

The director chuckled at Leaf's enthusiasm and said, "I'm afraid I can't stay much longer to chat. I need to get back to my office and set things back to normal. You're welcome to visit anytime!"

He walked away but stopped after taking about ten steps.

"Oh, I almost forgot," he added, turning around to face everyone. "My friend also mentioned that a legendary Pokémon will appear if you go to the places I said before. But, they will only appear if you have the feather and another special item. I can't remember what that special item is, though."

"A legendary Pokémon," asked Leaf, almost yelling from excitement. "We have to find out what that special item is! Oh, my Arceus, I can already imagine the breakthrough it'll have for the professor's research once we discover the legendary Pokémon."

"In that case, you should visit my friend in Cianwood. She lives on the northern part of it, and I'm sure she knows what you'll need. Anyway, I really must go now. I'll see you around!"

After the director left, the group finally went on to leave the tower, Leaf going on about researching the behavior of the legendary Pokémon as Ethan listened to her. Lyra sighed happily as they stepped into the elevator, glad that Team Rocket was officially disbanded. Perhaps she should reward herself with some Voltorb Flip later. When the group reached the third floor, they didn't expect the scene before them. Those working on the floor were huddled by the windows, looking outside.

"Why did the sky get dark all of a sudden," asked a woman in the middle of the crowd. "Especially now after Team Rocket is gone."

"Maybe it's a storm," suggested a man.

"No, that can't be right. It was clear just moments ago."

The group walked up to the closest window, checking to see what the employees were seeing. The sky was an odd deep violet, almost like night. Leaf took out her Pokégear to check the time, which read half past five.

"That's impossible," she thought, staring intently at the sky. "It can't be this dark already, not on a summer day. And it's definitely not a solar eclipse."

"What do you think is going on," asked Ethan to Leaf, noticing her thoughtful gaze.

"I'm not sure. Whatever it is, it isn't natural," she replied, feeling uneasy.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Here's the much anticipated Radio Tower chapter! Sorry if I hadn't updated in a while. All I've mostly been doing is work and not doing much on my days off. But I did get a driver's license so there's some accomplishment. Anyway, I took a little longer writing this because the battles got really repetitive for me to write. It's just fighting grunts over and over again, and you can see that I left out those battles. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to writing the next chapter, so just bear with me, everyone. And I'd like to thank everyone who's been patiently waiting for updates. You guys rock!**_


	15. Gumpy Little Geck! Good Glitch to Bad

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 2: Finding True Power

"So, you came to try to get that Dratini, right," asked Mr. Game, happy to see Lyra again.

"Yep, and as a personal reward, too," she replied, sitting down on the couch in front of him. The screen on the table lit up, ready to start a new game for her. Lyra rubbed her hands together in anticipation, her Noctowl staring at the table. Zephyr mentally prepared herself for the long hours ahead, knowing that her trainer was a fanatic of Voltorb Flip.

"Hold it right there, Lyra," yelled Ethan, barging through the door. "We have to go to Blackthorn City, and we're not going to wait five hours because you want to play a game!"

He went over to her and began to drag her away from the table, Lyra trying to shake him off.

"Stop, Ethan! I haven't played in a long time, and I want that Dratini," she protested, looking to Zephyr to help her out. Zephyr, however, was grateful that Ethan came to her rescue. Ethan's Togekiss, who was following his trainer, noticed the Noctowl's expression and couldn't help chuckling.

"You can get it later. Besides, Blackthorn City has the last gym badge we have to get, and then we can go to the Pokémon League."

"Fine," sighed Lyra, Ethan finally letting her go once they were outside. They walked to the Pokémon Center, the sky bright and clear. The darkness that appeared after Team Rocket's defeat lasted about an hour, disappearing without an explanation. Some people guess that it was a bad omen, others saying it was an odd phenomenon. When they arrived at the Pokémon Center and went inside, they found Leaf sitting at a table, looking up at a television screen that was mounted on the wall.

"Guys, there's a special report about that darkness earlier," she told them when they approached. "They said that it originated from the Sinnoh region."

"Really? That far away," asked Ethan, sitting down beside her. Lyra quietly sat down next to Ethan, watching the TV.

"There's no sure evidence of what took place on Mt. Coronet," explained the reporter on TV. "However, there were some witnesses claiming they saw members of Team Galactic heading toward the mountain. Sir, can you tell us what you saw?"

The camera moved over to a young man, seemingly in his twenties.

"Yeah, I saw some people of Team Galactic sneaking their way through our city of Hearthome, so I followed them. I was going to head up the mountain to see what they were doing but then I saw this little girl beat down every grunt she saw with her Pokémon! She looked so fearless!"

"A little girl? Amazing! Do you happen to know what she looked like?"

"She was wearing a white hat, a pink coat and boots. Oh, and she also had a white scarf."

The camera suddenly turned to the left, zooming in on a black-haired girl wearing the exact same outfit the man described as she walked down the street. A dark blue dragon Pokémon was following her, the underside of its body a bold red.

"It's her," yelled the cameraman, the reporter and witness both turning to see her. The reporter quickly gestured to the cameraman, and they both ran toward her. When they approached her, the girl seemed surprised, the Pokémon behind her growling at them. They froze when it growled, the girl looking up at her Pokémon.

"It's all right, Legend," she told it. "Just some reporters."

"Oh, um, is it all right if we ask for an interview," asked the reporter, tentatively taking a step forward.

"I suppose. What is it about?"

"It's about the events on Mt. Coronet. Do you know what happened there? What happened to Team Galactic? And why did you decide to fight against them?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she replied with a smirk. "As for Team Galactic, they've been put in their place. That tends to happen to anyone who gets in my way."

"What was it that they were getting in the way of?"

"Well, their leader wanted to be ruler of a perfect world. I don't want any of that. If anyone's going to rule anything, it's going to be me. Of course, there's still a long way to go before I become Empress of Sinnoh. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go to Sunyshore City and get my final badge. My Garchomp here is just the ticket to get it."

The girl returned her Garchomp to its pokéball, switching it for a Staraptor. The large bird cried out, flapping its wings to stretch them.

"Hurricane, take me to Pastoria City," she ordered, climbing on her Pokémon.

"Oh, wait! Can we get your name," asked the reporter.

"Why, of course. It's Dawn, your future empress."

The Staraptor flapped its wings and took off, leaving the reporters behind.

"And there you have it," continued the reporter. "Though we couldn't find out what happened, we still managed to get some idea of what happened to Team Galactic. Not to mention we got to hear the – ahem – _innocent_ dreams of a young girl. This is Sinnoh News Net!"

The show went on to a different reporter, talking about the fossils that were dug up in Oreburgh City.

"Man, that kid is crazy," commented Ethan, pretty much saying what was on everyone's mind.

"I honestly don't know if I can take her seriously or not," added Leaf. "And I'm a little worried about her if she's really serious about conquering a region."

"She's just a kid," said Lyra, chuckling nervously. "She does scare me a little, though."

"Well, guess she's the only one who really knows what caused the dark sky earlier. Anyway, are you guys ready to head to Blackthorn City? If we go now, we should get there before evening."

"Sure thing, Leaf!"

They got up and gathered their things together, making sure that they had all that they needed before heading out. Outside, Ethan's Togekiss and Lyra's Noctowl stretched their wings in anticipation for the upcoming flight. They were soon joined by Leaf's Pidgeot, standing nobly as he awaited his trainer's orders.

"All right, everyone," began Leaf, looking at the flying Pokémon. "We're going back to Mahogany Town. Take your time and don't drop us."

The three trainers climbed on their Pokémon, and they were soon taking off into the air. Lyra held onto her hat, almost being blown off by the takeoff, as she kept her balance on Zephyr. She looked up, seeing Leaf and her Pidgeot leading with Ethan to her left. Below, she could see Violet City, the place where she got her first gym badge. She smiled fondly at the memory, remembering how she didn't know much about battling. It felt like it was so long ago.

Zephyr began to descend, Mahogany Town now visible in the distance. A couple more minutes and they'll soon arrive. Lyra started to wonder what kind of Pokémon she should catch next. She really wanted a Dratini, and she hoped that she could find one on the way to Blackthorn. After all, there was one more spot available for the maximum Pokémon she can carry with her. And that also meant that a new Pokémon can join her family. Just wait until her mom sees the final result of her team. Though, with the way they behaved a long while back, Lyra worried that they might end up destroying her house.

"There's no way I can replace all that manga," she thought as they finally landed in front of the Pokémon Center. With nothing else to do in Mahogany, they were quick to walk to Route 44. They followed the long path, encountering a few trainers along the way. Ethan and Lyra even managed to get some Pokégear numbers.

"The Ice Path is at the end of this route," said Leaf, checking her Pokégear. "It's also next to Blackthorn City, so we won't have to travel for very long before getting there."

"Does the Ice Path have dragon-types," asked Lyra eagerly, earning a surprised look from Leaf.

"Uh, no. Sorry, Lyra, but dragon-types will definitely not be in the Ice Path. Ice is their weakness, and it'd be dumb for a dragon Pokémon to be there."

"At this rate, I'm never going to get a Dratini! Especially with Ethan keeping me away from Voltorb Flip!"

"You make it sound like a Dratini is once in a lifetime," said Ethan with an annoyed tone. "I'm pretty sure there are wild Dratini you can catch. Besides, isn't that better than getting one through a game?"

Lyra gasped at that, a shocked look on her face.

"You think that Voltorb Flip is _easy_," she asked, noticing they were nearing the end of the path. "It's not! Sure, the first two levels are, but it gets difficult after that. You can't just choose any random card, you have to strategize!"

A cold wind blew by, chilling the trainers and their flying Pokémon. Leaf looked up the rocky path, seeing the entrance to the Ice Path.

"Sure has been a long while since I was last here," she said, walking ahead of everyone.

"You've been in the Ice Path before," asked Ethan, catching up to her.

"Yeah, but it was just so I could get to Blackthorn City. I didn't look around much or anything."

With no other way to go, the group stepped inside the cave, chilling their faces and any exposed skin.

"This is as cold as Pryce's gym," shivered Lyra, her teeth chattering. Zephyr looked very uncomfortable in the cold, which made Lyra decide against having her outside. She switched the Noctowl for Cynder, figuring his fire can help keep her warm like it did in Pryce's gym. Ethan followed her lead, switching out his Togekiss for Growlithe. Luckily, the cave itself seemed straightforward, only having a singular path with a patch of ice ahead. Getting past the ice wasn't so bad, though Leaf got by it rather quickly thanks to her previous experience at the Sevii Islands. Another short walk away and soon they found more ice, this time a very large portion of the cave covered in it with a couple rocks randomly protruding out of it.

"I forgot this was here," muttered Leaf, staring at the rocks. "But I know there was a way to get to the other side."

She stared at the rocks for a while, eyes moving from one to another. It didn't take long for her to remember the path, reminding her of the islands.

"Okay, guys, you need to follow me exactly," said Leaf, looking to her juniors. "Otherwise, you won't be able to get through."

With that, she stepped onto the ice and slid across to a rock near the wall before sliding to another one. Lyra followed right after her, Ethan following Lyra to keep things simple. When they reached the end, they were back on the path, but there was a small patch of ice nearby. This one, though small, looked to have something on the ground at the other side.

"Huh, I wonder what that is," mused Ethan, sliding across the ice to get to it. He had to use the rocks to help him get to the end, reaching the item. On the floor, there was an HM, which was rather odd to find in a place like this. He put it away in his bag, going back to Leaf and Lyra.

"The good news is that it's an HM. The bad news is that I have no idea what it is," said Ethan to them, taking out the HM. "Do you know what it is, Leaf?"

"I think that's… Waterfall, maybe? It looks a little different from the one I have."

"It's probably a remake," added Lyra. "You know, something old that got new features so it's up-to-date with today's technology."

"That's a good way to put it. Anyway, ready to continue on?"

They followed the path to a ladder at the end, which descended a lower level. The lower floor looked like an ice maze.

"We just need to find the ladder to head down," explained Leaf, walking down an ice corridor. "I already dealt with this a few years ago. Took a lot of precision to get it done."

As they walked through the maze, Lyra noticed the large holes in the ground they passed by. She wasn't sure what they were for, but that was soon answered when they went down the ladder to a very large room. The floor was almost covered in ice, the four corners and center the only places with normal ground. Leaf sighed in relief that things hadn't changed since the last time she was here. It definitely made things simple, at least. Using the four strategically placed boulders, they made their way across the ice to the center, where another ladder awaited. After going down the ladder, they were in a much smaller room, the ladder on the other side not too far off.

"Man, how much longer to the end of this cave," asked Ethan, already tired of the cold. "It wouldn't be so bad if we saw some Pokémon or something."

"It's kind of strange that we haven't seen any yet," said Leaf, looking around for any signs of Pokémon. "They might be staying away from your Growlithe and Lyra's Typhlosion, but we would have seen them hiding or keeping their distance."

"Or we're probably not seeing them," added Lyra, shrugging her shoulders. "Maybe just some bad luck. By the way, what kinds are here, Leaf?"

"You mean like something more specific than ice-types? In that case, I… Um, I'm not entirely sure. I haven't done much research here, and I don't have my Pokédex with me to help."

"You can use mine," said Ethan, handing Leaf his Pokédex. "It's weird, but not as bad as Lyra's."

Leaf accepted the Pokédex, opening it up to look at the current pages of Pokémon Ethan has seen so far.

"It is a delight to see you again, my dear lady," greeted Ethan's Pokédex. "What may I help you with?"

"I'm just checking for what Pokémon can be found in the Ice Path, but there are so many empty pages that I don't think I'll find them all with your help."

"My apologies! That uncouth boy does not make much of an effort to fill up my pages. However, if I may add, there is one Pokémon I know that can be found here. It's called Swinub."

Right on cue, a Swinub slowly walked in front of them, not paying any attention to them. Where it was going was beyond them, but seeing the Pokémon made Ethan glad the place wasn't barren of wildlife.

"What a fine coincidence, is it not," happily asked Ethan's Pokédex. "If my calculations are correct, there must be more Pokémon that we have not encountered yet in the Ice Path. Bolly, just the thought of it is quite exciting! Imagine, if you will, all the pages that—"

A small flurry of snow hit the Pokédex, frozen in ice to everyone's surprise. Leaf dropped it by accident, though the fall didn't break the ice nor damage the Pokédex further. Ethan looked at the Swinub, who snorted approvingly at the silenced machine. It seemed that the Pokémon was annoyed by the Pokédex for some reason and used Powder Snow to stop it from talking.

"Whoa, he actually shut him up for once," laughed Ethan, admiring the Swinub. "A Pokémon that can do that definitely earns a spot on my team!"

He signaled at Growlithe to follow him as he ran toward the Swinub.

"Doesn't he care that his Pokédex is frozen solid and might not work anymore," asked Leaf in surprise.

"Ugh, why did it have to be Ethan's Pokédex? I wish it was mine that got frozen," sighed Lyra, looking at the block of ice that was the Pokédex.

"I heard that, you ungrateful moron," replied Lyra's Pokédex from her bag. "Anyway, fancy-pants is better than ever now that he isn't talking anymore."

"But we can't keep him frozen like that forever," protested Leaf, picking up the Pokédex with a spare cloth from her bag. "Lyra, can I borrow Cynder for a bit? The fire on his neck can help thaw out the ice."

Lyra nodded and watched Leaf carefully hold the Pokédex near Cynder's flames. Her attention then drifted to Ethan, who had thrown a Dusk Ball at the Swinub. After three shakes, the ball clicked and successfully caught the wild Pokémon. Lyra's heart sank a little at the sight for she had considered catching a Swinub if she couldn't get a Dratini. And yet she didn't want to give up on that dream. One way or another, she will get a Dratini.

"So how's the 'Dex doing," asked Ethan as he rejoined the others. He clipped the Dusk Ball that held Swinub to his belt, noticing Leaf thawing out his Pokédex.

"I'm not so sure," replied Leaf, turning over the block of ice. "We won't know until I can reboot it. Once I'm done with this, obviously."

"Hey, shortie," began Lyra's Pokédex. "What if fancy-pants gets his inner workings damaged from the ice? Are you going to take him back to the old geezer and make another one?"

"First of all, I'm not that short! Second, I should be able to fix him. At worse, I'll have to take him back to Pallet Town."

Leaf focused back on thawing out the Pokédex, which was now mostly free from the ice.

"Isn't that a bad idea," finally asked Lyra, realizing that she was melting ice. "Wouldn't water get into it?"

"Don't worry. Professor Oak and I designed these so that they withstand all kinds of weather, and that also includes water. If they weren't, it'd be more difficult for trainers to keep around when traveling. Thing is, I don't think they're up against a direct energy blast from a Pokémon."

When the ice had at last melted off, Leaf held the Pokédex carefully as she searched her bag for something in particular. She took out a small, rectangular case and opened it up, revealing a set of screwdrivers within. Slowly sitting down and setting the 'Dex on the floor, she picked a certain screwdriver and used it to unscrew the small screws on the Pokédex. With the last screw out, Leaf opened up the Pokédex, checking the circuits within.

"Um, is he going to be okay," asked Lyra, peering down to see the circuits.

"Hm, by the look of it, I'd say he'll be fine. The circuits look all right, so all that's left is to reboot him and see how he is."

Leaf closed up the Pokédex and put the screws back in place, the machine looking the same as usual. She pressed and held a certain button, a little light starting to flash as the power returned. She slid it open to see if the Pokémon pages were showing up yet, seeing a whole screen of binary code flash by. Then, the pages showed up, confirming that the Pokédex was officially on.

"Uh, how are you feeling today," awkwardly asked Leaf, unsure how'd the machine would react.

"My day is certainly better now that a totty such as you has awoken me," replied the Pokédex, earning a confused look from Leaf.

"I think it's okay now. Here you go, Ethan," she said, handing the device to the younger boy.

"Damn, I was kind of half-hoping that he'd be broken," sighed Ethan, looking down at the Pokédex.

"You gumpy little geck," yelled the Pokédex, surprising Ethan and everyone else. "I wish I wasn't stuck with a bloody mong! How about you shut yer gob for once, you divvy whinger."

"What did you just call me?"

"Oh, now you're a slowcoach too?"

"I have no idea what you called me, but I can bet it's an insult!"

"Not bad for a pleb."

Ethan angrily put the Pokédex in his backpack, obviously frustrated with the new change.

"Did anyone know what the hell he called me," he said, glancing to the others. Everyone shook their heads, very unfamiliar with the words the machine used.

"Okay, so the ice _did_ damage him in some way," mused Leaf, still surprised of what happened. "It just affected his personality instead."

"Can you fix it then?"

"That's something I don't know about. After all, the personality he had before was a glitch itself. My guess is that the ice made it worse. Maybe Professor Oak can fix it, but the Pokédex will probably be reset, which might also give it a different personality."

"As long as it isn't what it is now, I have no problem with that."

"I think the sooner we get out of here, the better," interrupted Lyra, shivering from the cold.

Everyone nodded in agreement, moving on to the ladder nearby. They went up the ladder to a rather barren room. There wasn't much there except for a short stairway and more ice on the ground, not to mention another ladder heading up. The next floor was basically a short hallway, more ice on the ground but nothing too extraordinary. Luckily, the lack of events and Pokémon encounters was broken when they reached the next floor, seeing a rather familiar woman.

"Hey, isn't that a Kimono Girl," asked Lyra, recognizing the elegant kimono and headdress.

"Oh my, is that you Lyra," asked the Kimono Girl, not turning around as she stood in the middle of a patch of ice. "Fancy meeting you here!"

"How do you know her name," asked Ethan, curious about the girl's knowledge.

"Ah, Ethan's here, too," she continued, ignoring Ethan's question. "This is quite embarrassing but my sandals are frozen on the ice, and I'm stuck here."

"And how did that happen?"

"It's a funny story! I was just taking a stroll here, enjoying the clean chill air when I came upon this ice patch. The ice on the ground and the large ice blocks around here are beautiful – it's like looking into a mirror. Anyway, I practiced some dancing here, and I got so entranced by all the movements reflecting everywhere, I didn't realize that my sandals were starting to freeze into the ground."

The Kimono Girl giggled, laughing at her own story as the others stared dumbfounded.

"Ahem, but it's no laughing matter," she added, clearing her throat. "I would really appreciate it if one of you gave me a good push. I think that'll be enough to free me."

"I'll do it," yelled Ethan, quickly making his way toward her. When he was close to her, he pushed her from behind, sending the girl sliding across to the normal ground on the other side.

"Thank you! You really are kind," she said to Ethan. She gave a bow before walking away, heading out what looked like the exit.

"There's the way out. I had a feeling it was close," said Leaf, reminiscing of her previous exploration. One by one, each trainer made it across the ice with the help of the ice blocks and stepped out of the cave. Lyra squinted from the sunrays, her eyes having grown accustomed to the much dimmer cave. However, a smile crossed her face as she took in the sights of Blackthorn City.

"We're finally here," she said excitedly, looking at the mountains and buildings. "This is where the last badge is!"

"You guys really came a long way," commented Leaf, smiling at her juniors. "You're one badge away from the Pokémon League. Since Clair uses dragon-types, it won't be long until you're there."

"Hey, Leaf, are dragon-types only weak to ice?"

"Well, they're also weak to their own type, just like the ghost-types. Wait… Lyra, you don't have an ice-type, do you?"

Lyra shook her head, earning a surprised look from Leaf.

"Do any of your Pokémon know any ice-type moves," asked Ethan, hoping for a good answer.

"Not that I know of."

"Lyra! How the hell can you expect to beat Clair? I'm good because I caught a Swinub not too long ago, and all he needs is some training. But with your current team, there's no way you'll be able to beat her!"

Lyra looked down at the ground, looking like a child being scolded. Cynder seemed concerned, worried that his trainer might be feeling defeated.

"There is _one_ way to help," said Leaf thoughtfully.

"R-Really," asked Lyra, glad that there was some hope. "If there's anything I can do, I'll follow through with it."

"Maybe some special training is the ticket. I think your Quagsire would be the ideal one for it, but it's not going to be easy."

Lyra nodded, sending out her Quagsire so she could let her know what plans were ahead. Cascade yawned when she appeared, looking around curiously at her surroundings.

"Cascade, I really need your help for the upcoming gym," explained Lyra, hoping that Cascade understood. "You're going to need some special training, but I wanted to know if you're okay with it."

Cascade tilted her head to the side, as if she wasn't quite piecing together what Lyra was saying. Cynder sighed before he began growling at the Quagsire, his growls being his way of communicating. The two Pokémon seemed to be conversing, Cynder looking a little frustrated the longer it went on.

"This sure is taking a while," said Ethan, watching the two Pokémon.

"No kidding," agreed Leaf.

At last, Cascade smiled happily, looking at Lyra with approval.

"All right! Cascade is okay with it, so we're ready for the special training, Leaf," grinned Lyra. "We can we start?"

"Right now, if you want. Let's head down to Route 45 and find a clearing someplace for Cascade to practice."

"Okay, you girls do that," began Ethan, heading back to the Ice Path. "In the meantime, I'll do some training of my own. Swinub's going to need to be at his best before taking on Clair."

Everyone parted ways, prepared for all the effort and time that was needed to earn their final badge.

* * *

><p><em>We've spent months on this mountainside with only one thing in mind: to become stronger. Here, we have improved our skills and steeled our bodies against the witch who manipulates dragons. What amazing bodyguards those dragons must be. However, even they will not stand a chance against us for we have been training a secret technique. The witch will not expect it, and we'll use that element of surprise to our advantage. Victory will soon be in our grasp!<em>

"Why are you talking to yourself, Lyra," asked Leaf, glancing at her junior as they walked toward the Pokémon Center of Blackthorn City.

"Oh, uh, just doing a monologue to psych myself up," replied Lyra, laughing nervously. "In most of the shonen manga I've read, whenever a character goes on a training session, they always return with a super-cool air around them. I was trying to get in synch to that 'air of awesomeness.' I think I exaggerated the monologue, though."

"Well, maybe the 'spent months on the mountainside' and 'Clair being a witch' parts. I mean, we've only been gone for about three days, and I'm sure that Clair isn't a witch. Besides that, everything else seems right on the mark."

The pair both stopped when they noticed a familiar person approaching them. That person was none other than Ethan, coming from the direction of where the gym was. Surprisingly enough, a large brown Pokémon with tusks was following him, one that Lyra has never seen before. Lyra was just about to ask if he had won his eighth badge until she saw the frustrated look on his face.

"Um, Ethan? Are you okay? Did you lose," she asked him when he got closer.

"No, I won, but… She won't give me the badge."

"What? Is she out of her mind," said Leaf, both ticked off and surprised. "It's a standard rule that if a gym leader loses to a trainer, they _have_ to give that trainer a badge."

"That's what I told her! But she's being a sore loser and said that I don't deserve it. Even when Mamoswine made her struggle with our battle!"

"Leaf, can she get in trouble with the Pokémon League for that," asked Lyra, looking at the older girl.

"She can, and I can even let Lance know what's going on, too," explained Leaf, adjusting her hat. "But if I do that, both you and Ethan might come off as whiny tattletales or something to her. So, I think she just needs to be knocked down a few pegs, if you know what I mean."

"Are you saying that I should go challenge her right now?"

"You got that right. A show of strength is probably the only way to get through that thick, egotistical head of hers."

"And what makes you think she'll give the badges to Lyra," interrupted Ethan, crossing his arms over his chest. "What if she pulls the same stunt she did with me?"

"In that case, Lyra's going to have to ask what else you two can do to get those badges. After losing twice in a row, she'll have to come up with a challenge or something to save her image. If all else fails, I'll step in and sort things out."

"So it's settled then," said Lyra, grabbing Cascade's pokéball. "I'll go challenge her, win, and get those badges no matter what."

She released her Quagsire from her ball, Cascade looking happily at her trainer.

"Cascade, it's time to put your training to the test. We have some badges to get!"

Cascade nodded as the two looked at the gym near the mountain up ahead, determined to win the last of the Johto badges.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: British insults are the funniest things ever. I made it my mission to somehow have Ethan's Pokedex go from gentleman to rude prick. You have no idea just how much I loved writing those insults. And let's not forget Dawn's cameo, who solved that dark sky dilemma in Sinnoh. Consider it a sneak peek at her character when I get to writing the Sinnoh story. For the sake of pacing, I had to make this chapter shorter than usual, but I hope the rude Brit made up for it.**_


	16. Prove Yourself

Critical Hit: Johto Journey

Part 2: Finding True Power

"'The Blessed User of Dragon Pokémon,' eh," mused Lyra aloud, reading the sign in front of the gym. "She does know that other people use dragon-types, right?"

Her Quagsire shrugged, smiling happily as always. Lyra took a deep breath, knowing that the upcoming battles would be difficult. Since it was the eighth gym of Johto, this gym will put her to the test. After gathering enough courage, Lyra stepped inside, Cascade following her. The gym's interior was something that Lyra never imagined to be possible.

"How the heck is there lava in here," she asked in shock. "And why isn't it melting everything?"

Lyra looked to Cascade, the usual smile replaced with a look of discomfort. The girl could understand why – the lava was giving off intense heat that was already making her sweat. She decided that the sooner she gets to get Clair and defeat her, the sooner she can get out. As she stepped forward, she noticed a man standing to the side, looking at her with surprise.

"Hey, kid, be careful while you go through this gym," he told her, pointing behind him. "It's a bit unstable, so it's best if you keep your Pokémon in its ball."

"Thanks for letting me know," said Lyra, withdrawing Cascade into her ball. "At least she'll be away from this heat, too."

"Kid, I hope you're up to the challenge ahead because Clair uses dragon-type Pokémon, and those Pokémon can be hard to damage. Unless, of course, you have a Pokémon that knows ice-type moves."

Lyra nodded and walked ahead, stepping onto a stone block surrounded with a metallic black fence. She didn't understand what was the point of that, especially since it was stopping her, until she noticed a large round button with arrow-shaped buttons on both sides of it. Out of curiosity, she stepped on the right arrow, sending the block against the wall. It crashed against it, knocking Lyra off her feet, and went back to where it originally was.

"Okay, I wasn't expecting that," commented Lyra, getting up from the ground. "So, I have to use this to move on to the next part. Hm, let's try the other button."

She stepped on the left arrow, the block moving again but stopping short of the wall. With this sign of progress, Lyra placed her foot on the center button, wondering what this one did. The block suddenly turned, now horizontal. A smile crossed Lyra's lips, glad that she was able to figure out how to use the buttons. She pushed the round button again and then the left arrow, the block positioned to allow her on the next path. However, she only walked a short distance before being stopped by the first gym trainer there.

"Is this your first battle against dragons," he asked, Lyra responding with a nod. The trainer smirked, taking out a pokéball. "I'll show you how tough they are!"

Lyra quickly took out Cascade's pokéball, releasing her from the ball. The trainer sent out a Dratini, Lyra doing her best not to fawn over it.

"Okay, Cascade! Now's the time to show what you learned in your training," ordered Lyra, staring down the other trainer. "Use Ice Punch!"

The Dratini quickly slithered toward Cascade, trying to attack before she can. In that short time to reach the Quagsire, Cascade prepared Ice Punch, her right arm glowing a light blue. When the Dratini was close enough, she unleashed her attack, knocking the Dratini back. The Dratini was knocked out, forcing the trainer to switch out with another Dratini. However, that Dratini also fell to Cascade's Ice Punch, the trainer sending out his last Pokémon. Surprisingly, it wasn't another Dratini, but a Seadra instead. Lyra quickly switched out Cascade for Voltage, knowing her electric attacks would be best. Seadra, with its superior speed, attacked first with Bubblebeam, sending a powerful spray of bubbles at the Ampharos. Voltage quickly covered her face to shield herself, taking the hit of Bubblebeam.

"Voltage, use Discharge," called out Lyra, hoping her Pokémon would be all right. As Voltage did her best to fend off Bubblebeam, she began gathering electricity on her hide. When the Seadra finished its attack and prepared for the next one, Voltage used that opportunity to use Discharge. The electric blast defeated the Seadra, the battle now finished. Lyra collected her prize money from the gym trainer, spotting another trainer nearby from the corner of her eye. She quickly approached the next trainer, getting Cascade's pokéball in hand.

"Dragons are sacred Pokémon," began the trainer, readying her own pokéball. "They are full of life energy. If you're not serious, you won't be able to beat them."

"Of course I am," retorted Lyra, sending out Cascade. "That's why I took a three-day training session for this."

The trainer sent out a Dratini, which Cascade already figured out which move to use. Ice Punch knocked the Dratini unconscious, the trainer sending out her next Pokémon. To Lyra's surprise, it wasn't another Dratini, but something very similar to it. Its body was very long with small wings on its head along with a small horn in the middle. Blue gems decorated the end of its tail and a single gem was on its neck.

"It's so pretty," said Lyra, admiring the opposing Pokémon. "Ahem, I mean, take it out with another Ice Punch!"

The Dragonair was quick to react, sending out a shock wave from her mouth to attack Cascade. It hurt the Quagsire quite a bit, but it didn't stop her from using Ice Punch. Though, the attack severely weakened the Dragonair, obviously stronger than the previous Dratini. Luckily, with the Quick Claw in hand, Cascade got the speed boost she needed to charge at the Dragonair and finish it off with another Ice Punch. Once the battle was over, Lyra withdrew Cascade, collected her money, and stepped onto another controllable stone block. The first thing she did was step on the left arrow, moving the block upward through the lava. She glanced over to an unfenced part of a path up ahead, knowing that was where she needed to go. Using the buttons, she positioned and moved the block so that it was aligned against the path. There was another gym trainer there, who greeted her with a challenge.

"Not all of us use dragon-type Pokémon," he explained as he approached her. "It's not like that – we just use strong Pokémon. Well, that's my theme anyway!"

"I don't like your theme," replied Lyra, finding his theme to be a bit too similar to Silver's for her comfort.

The gym trainer sent out a Horsea, Lyra sending out Voltage to battle. Horsea immediately used Hydro Pump, hitting Voltage with the powerful water blast. Voltage was knocked back considerably, even falling over from the unexpected power. However, this merely angered the Ampharos, who quickly got up and used Discharge in retaliation. Horsea was knocked out, but a Seadra took its place in the battle. In the middle of her anger, Voltage charged at the Seadra recklessly, her flipper sparking with electricity as she prepared Thunderpunch. The Seadra hit her with Bubblebeam to slow her down, but Voltage pushed through the attack and struck the Seadra with an uppercut. To her surprise, the Seadra was only severely weakened, who then countered with Brine. Voltage, already weakened from the previous attacks, fell to the ground, defeated for the first time since she was caught as a Mareep.

"It's all right, Voltage," yelled Lyra, withdrawing the Ampharos. "You did really well! Cascade, time to use your best move!"

Cascade was released from her ball, and she immediately stomped on the ground, triggering an earthquake to finish off the Seadra. With the battle over, Lyra withdrew Cascade again and sent out Voltage again, the Ampharos barely standing up as her legs shook under her weight. Lyra looked through her bag and took out two potions to heal Voltage.

"This might sting a little, okay," said Lyra, spraying her Pokémon's wounds. Voltage flinched but did her best to withstand the pain. However, through the whole thing, the Ampharos couldn't bring herself to look her trainer in the eye.

"There we go! All better now," said Lyra happily, getting Voltage's pokéball. "You still need to rest up. So take it easy in the ball, all right?"

The girl looked ahead, seeing another block to use to get deeper into the gym. Her brown eyes focused on something further, seeing the back wall and who she assumed to be Clair.

"Just a little more," she thought, walking onto the block. "I'm almost there."

She didn't waste any time stepping on the buttons, quickly maneuvering the block to the end. There stood Clair, watching her as she stepped off the block. The gym leader held her head up high, giving Lyra a condescending impression. It was odd, though, since Clair was wearing a ridiculous-looking outfit with a cape. However, Lyra met that gaze with her own determination, hoping that Clair understood her intention to win. The young challenger walked up to the gym leader, standing just far enough so that their Pokémon would have space to battle.

"I am Clair," began the gym leader in a loud voice. "The world's best dragon-type master."

Leaf was right – she really is egotistic.

"I can hold my own against even the Pokémon League's Elite Four," she boasted, a proud smirk on her face. "Do you still want to take me on?"

"Of course! I have a promise to keep, and there's no way I'm going back on my word!"

"Fine. Let's do this! As a gym leader, I'll use my full power against any opponent!"

Lyra smirked and grabbed Voltage's ball as Clair unclipped one from her waist. They sent out an Ampharos and Gyarados respectively. Unusually, Voltage seemed nervous around the Gyarados, even taking a few steps back from intimidation. Lyra noticed this, growing concerned if Voltage needed more time to rest after her earlier battles. What worried her more was that when the Ampharos would get intimidated or frightened, she would quickly overcome it and make her power obvious. This time, she wasn't doing that, looking very hesitant.

"Voltage, it's all right! Show that Gyarados who's boss with Discharge," yelled Lyra, hoping her encouragement made it through. Voltage nodded, charging up her attack.

"Gyarados, use Dragon Rage while the attack is charging," ordered Clair, watching the large Pokémon blast the Ampharos with a shockwave.

Voltage was knocked back, hurt a bit but still standing. With her attack fully charged, she sent out a blast of electricity at her opponent. The Gyarados went down, and both trainers withdrew their Pokémon. Clair sent out a Dragonair as Lyra sent out her Quagsire, knowing that she was the ideal one to use from here on out.

"Ice Punch," ordered Lyra, watching Cascade's right arm glow a bright blue.

"It's slower, so use Dragon Pulse," said Clair with a smirk. The Dragonair sent a powerful shockwave from her mouth, hitting Cascade full on. Cascade endured the hit and struck the Dragonair with a right jab, knocking it back and severely weakening it. However, Clair used a Hyper Potion to heal her injured Pokémon.

"Use another Ice Punch!"

Though the dragon Pokémon was just healed, Cascade brought it back to its original condition with another Ice Punch. Using the Quick Claw for a much-needed speed boost, Cascade finished off the Dragonair with a left jab of Ice Punch. The Quagsire took a few steps back, watching Clair withdraw her Dragonair for a Kingdra. Lyra wasn't sure what type that Pokémon might be, but it looked similar to Seadra.

"Maybe a further evolution," she thought to herself. "I'll have to come up with a strategy and fast. For sure, it has to be a dragon-type."

Kingdra began with Smokescreen, hindering Cascade's eyesight.

"Use Earthquake," ordered Lyra, bracing herself for the attack. Cascade stomped on the ground, the magnitude violently shaking everything. Kingdra took a lot of damage, but it ate a Sitrus Berry to help recover. It then blasted Cascade with a Hydro Pump, pushing the Quagsire back. It inhaled again, sending another Hydro Pump to push Cascade near the edge of the platform.

"Get away from the edge," yelled Lyra desperately, afraid that Clair might just order her Kingdra to push Cascade into the lava below. Cascade stumbled away, very weakened and close to falling over. She stomped on the ground again, sending another Earthquake to weaken the Kingdra as well. Lyra quickly called over Cascade as Clair did the same for Kingdra, both healing their Pokémon with potions. Lyra glanced at Cascade, who was already panting from all the effort. She had to admit that the Kingdra was one Pokémon she wasn't prepared for.

"If I can't beat that with Cascade, the rest of my team won't be able to defeat it either," she thought. "Cascade and I will have to give our all then!"

"Earthquake," said Lyra to Cascade, the Quagsire rushing in and jumping on the floor with all her might. The attack weakened the Kingdra, who used another Smokescreen to lower Cascade's accuracy further.

"Another Earthquake should do it!"

"I don't think so," yelled Clair, pointing at Cascade. "Kingdra, Hyper Beam!"

The powerful energy blast hit Cascade directly, and yet she managed to endure it. Clair looked surprised that she made it, and that surprise changed into worry as she saw her Kingdra collapse from exhaustion.

"Kingdra can't attack now after that! Now's your chance, Cascade," yelled Lyra, aware that the tables have been turned. "Finish it off with Earthquake!"

Cascade gave a small nod as she stomped on the ground, the attack causing the Kingdra to fall over. With Kingdra out of the way, Lyra knew that victory would soon be hers.

"I'm not finished just yet," exclaimed Clair, withdrawing her Kingdra. "I still have one Pokémon left! This is where the battle really begins!"

She sent out a Dragonair, Cascade panting to regain her breath from the struggle with Kingdra. Cascade glanced back at Lyra, who smiled and nodded at the Quagsire. Cascade nodded in agreement, knowing exactly what to do next.

"You might think that, Clair," started Lyra, watching Cascade charge at Dragonair. "But this battle—" Cascade struck Dragonair with Ice Punch, the right jab knocking it out. "—Is already over!"

Clair looked on with shock, unable to comprehend that her whole team had been defeated by this young challenger.

"What? I lost? This must be a mistake," yelled the gym leader, surprising Lyra. "I won't concede to this!"

"I won fair-and-square! You can't deny that you lost! I mean, just look at your team!"

"I might have lost, but you're not ready for the Pokémon League."

Lyra couldn't believe what she was hearing. This gym leader was beaten twice already and she still won't acknowledge her defeat. Worst of all, she had the audacity to say Lyra wasn't ready for the League, even though the gym challenge itself was what determined that.

"Listen here, Clair," shouted Lyra, walking up to the gym leader. "I'm not leaving until I have both my and Ethan's badges! We both earned our badges, so give them up!"

"As I said, you're not ready for the Pokémon League."

Lyra was reaching a boiling point, this injustice driving her crazy. Then, she remembered what Leaf told her earlier and decided to use that to her advantage.

"Okay, is there some other way my friend and I can prove ourselves? Any challenge whatsoever," she asked Clair, hoping that this would work.

Clair stared with indifference, but a smirk soon appeared on her lips.

"I know, you can take the Dragon-master challenge," she said, her tone condescending. "Behind this gym, there's a place called Dragon's Den. Inside is a small shrine at its heart. Go there."

"Th-That's it? I just have to go to a shrine," asked Lyra with disbelief. This sounded a bit too easy.

"If you can prove that you've lost your lazy ideals, I will admit you are a trainer worthy of my gym badge!"

There was something in Clair's eyes that bothered Lyra, something she couldn't put her finger on. However, there was no way she'd back out now.

"All right, I'll go to the shrine," replied Lyra, accepting the challenge. "Better have two badges ready for Ethan and me then!"

Lyra turned away and walked over to a glowing portal on the ground, Cascade following her. They teleported to the front of the gym and walked out, relieved to be away from the hot gym. To her surprise, Ethan and Leaf were already waiting nearby, walking over to hear what happened with Clair.

"So? Did she give you a badge," asked Ethan, already skeptical.

"No, she didn't," sighed Lyra, crossing her arms over her chest. "But, she did give me a challenge. Ethan, if we go to the Dragon's Den and enter the shrine, I think she'll finally give us our badges."

"She better give you the badges," said Leaf, putting her hands on her hips. "She's starting to annoy me with all this trouble."

"Clair said that the den is behind the gym, so let's head over right away."

Everyone walked over to the nearby pond, Ethan and Leaf sending out their Gyarados and Lapras to ride on. Lyra joined Leaf as usual, and they all made the short trip to the other side. There was a cave entrance, along with an old man standing near it. He gave them a small nod, permitting them to pass. Perhaps Clair let him know that they'd be going there? Inside, a ladder stood in the middle of the room, revealing another floor below. Each one climbed down the ladder, reaching the massive cavern. Deep in the cavern, a shrine stood among the water. Using their water-type Pokémon, they made their way to the shrine. They had to take a roundabout way to get to the front door, but it was nothing too troublesome. Once inside, an old man stood at the end, looking much older than the one at the cave entrance. Two other men were there, watching them carefully. The group walked toward the old man, glancing around. The room itself was ornate, impressive dragon sculptures the most noticeable.

"H-Hello," greeted Lyra, a little nervous. "We're here to—"

The old man raised his hand, causing her to stop talking.

"No need to explain – I know why you're all here," he began, his voice deep. "Clair sent you here, didn't she?"

Lyra and Ethan nodded, earning a sigh from the Dragon Master.

"That girl is a handful," he muttered under his breath. "I'm sorry, but I must test you."

"Oh, jeez, another challenge," asked Ethan uneasily.

"Not to worry, you are to answer only a few questions. Young man, you will be first. The young ladies must wait outside until you're done."

Lyra and Leaf exchanged glances before looking to Ethan, silently wishing him luck. They walked out, waiting just outside the door. About a minute later, they were called back in, seeing Ethan look a little nervous.

"All right, young lady, you are the one who challenged Clair, correct," he asked Lyra.

"Yes, I am."

"And what about you," he asked, looking at Leaf.

"Oh, I'm just a mentor and researcher. I didn't challenge the Johto gyms," replied Leaf.

"Hm, I see. May I ask that you stand with the boy? I want this to be between me and her."

Leaf nodded and joined Ethan, both watching Lyra.

"Now let us begin," he started, clearing his throat. "What are Pokémon to you?"

"My friends and family," replied Lyra without a second thought.

"Oh, I understand… What helps you win battles?"

"Well, training my Pokémon and coming up with strategies."

"And what kind of trainers do you wish to battle?"

"Anyone who wants to battle with me."

"What is most important for raising Pokémon?"

"With love. That's what I've been doing with my own."

"Strong Pokémon, weak Pokémon. Which is more important?"

"Both. If you really love them, it shouldn't matter if they're weak or strong."

"You seem to really care deeply for Pokémon. Very commendable."

Lyra blushed from the compliments, looking down.

"Don't lose that belief. It will see you through at the Pokémon League," he continued, causing Lyra to look up. Before she could say anything, Clair walked in, heading straight toward Lyra.

"So how did it go," she asked the girl. "I guess there's no point in asking. You failed, didn't you?"

"Actually, Clair," interrupted Ethan, walking up to join his friend. "She passed. I did too, by the way, so I know she got the right answers."

"What? Both of you passed? That can't be," she shouted, taking a few steps back. "You're lying! Even I haven't been approved!"

"Why's that so hard to believe," questioned Leaf, joining with the others. "Because you thought you were the best? They're not trying to show that they're better than you, Clair! They only want to prove their worth – that they're good enough!"

"Clair, these children are impeccable, in training and spirit," added the elder, giving a serious stare. "Admit defeat and confer the Rising Badge… Or must I inform Lance of this?"

Clair seemed to tense at the mention of Lance's name, but she looked down solemnly.

"I… I understand," she said in a low voice. She walked up to Ethan and Lyra, extending her arm out. In her hand were two badges, one for each of them.

"Here, this is the Rising Badge," she explained, looking away. "Hurry up and take it!"

Lyra and Ethan took the badges, staring at them with excitement in their eyes.

"The Rising Badge helps your Pokémon to climb waterfalls," continued Clair. "Also, all Pokémon will recognize your skill and obey you unquestionably."

The elder stepped away, going back to his original spot.

"Clair, reflect upon what it is that you lack and these children have."

The gym leader backed away before running out, leaving the others confused for her sudden exit. The elder cleared his throat again, getting everyone's attention.

"By the way, have either of you heard of Lugia and Ho-oh? It is said that Lugia can be found in a waterfall deep in one of the Whirl Islands, and Ho-oh can be found atop the great Bell Tower of Ecruteak City. You need a Silver Wing and Rainbow wing to reach both of them, respectively. Or so I've heard."

Lyra and Ethan nodded, already aware of this knowledge thanks to the director of the Goldenrod Radio Tower. Everyone gave their goodbyes to the elder, heading back outside. To their surprise, Clair stood next to the door, seemingly waiting for them.

"Wait," she began, her voice noticeably calmer. "I'm sorry about everything. I'd like you to take this as my apology."

In her hands were two discs, new TMs. She gave one each to Ethan and Lyra, who put away the new gift in their bags.

"Those contain Dragon Pulse," she explained. "Dragon Pulse is a kind of – I mean, it's huge energy of some kind."

"Oh, thanks, Clair," said Lyra, smiling at the gym leader. "That's really thoughtful of you."

"You're going to head for the Pokémon League now, aren't you," asked Clair, watching the two nod in reply. "In that case, go to New Bark Town and travel east. It's the easiest way to get there."

"So we'll be heading back home," said Ethan, feeling a little homesick for the first time.

"The look in your eyes tell me that you have unfinished business."

Clair sent out her Kingdra, getting on it so she could ride back to the entrance of the cavern.

"Whatever you have to face from now, don't you dare give up," she told them, giving the young trainers a stern look. "If you do, I'll feel even worse about having lost to you. Give it your all!"

The group watched Kingdra swim away until it stopped a few meters away, Clair looking back at them.

"By the way, you should go back into the shrine," she called out. "Since you passed the test, I'm sure there's a special gift waiting for you."

At that, Ethan and Lyra looked at each other a short moment before going back inside. Leaf couldn't help but follow, curious about the special gift.

"Ah, it's a good thing you have returned so soon," said the elder, holding something in his hands. "I have something for you two."

Upon closer inspection, he was holding two pokéballs, one in each hand.

"You're giving us a Pokémon," asked Ethan, wondering what was inside.

"Yes. Please, take this Dratini as proof that I know your worth."

"Dr-Dratini," asked Lyra, mouth dropping open. "You're really giving me a Dratini?"

"Of course. Dragon Pokémon are symbolic of our clan. You both have shown that you can be entrusted with one."

Lyra squealed loudly, eagerly accepting the pokéball from the Dragon Master. She hopped in place happily, holding the ball to her cheek.

"I've wanted a Dratini for so long! Thank you! Thank you so much," she said ecstatically to the master. The master smiled at her, feeling the excitement the young girl was showing.

"Lyra, don't you think you should properly meet your new Pokémon," suggested Leaf, earning a gasp from her junior.

"Good idea! I'll let it out of the ball right now!"

Lyra tossed the ball, her new Dratini appearing on the ground from the opened ball. It looked up at her with surprise then intrigue.

"So you going to name her or what," asked Lyra's Pokédex, the girl taking out the device from her bag. "I don't have all day."

"You don't even do anything except hang out in my bag," retorted Lyra, opening up the 'dex to see her Dratini's page. "Oh! It's a girl! Guess that makes the harem bigger now. Let's see… How about Mystic?"

"Sounds stupid. Real typical of you."

"I think that's a great name," defended Leaf, offering her encouragement. "It sounds really fitting."

"Seriously," asked the Pokédex. "Well, whatever. At least it's not as lame as 'Dream.' Shortie over there has zero creativity."

"Shut up!"

Lyra ignored the bickering between her Pokédex and Leaf, looking at the Dratini.

"From now on, your name is Mystic, and it's really great to meet you," she said to the dragon Pokémon. "I'm Lyra, your trainer. I think we'll be great friends and I know you'll get along with the others, too."

* * *

><p>With all the Johto badges finally collected, everyone took a moment of relaxation at the Blackthorn Pokémon Center. The Pokémon especially deserved the much needed rest under the care of Nurse Joy, specifically Ethan's Mamoswine and Lyra's Quagsire. While the Pokémon were being healed, the trainers sat around a table, each doing their own thing. Lyra was on cloud nine ever since they left the Dragon's Den, spacing out from happiness. Ethan was talking on his Pokégear with his mom, letting her know that he had earned the last badge and would be returning home. Leaf was busy writing down notes in a notebook, recording the wildlife in the Dragon's Den. She smiled at the thought of observing the wild Dratini swimming in the underground lake. Lyra's Pokégear rang out, catching everyone by surprise. Lyra quickly took out the phone-like device, seeing Professor Elm's name flash vividly on the screen.<p>

"Hello," she asked, wondering what the professor would want.

"Hello, Lyra," began Professor Elm. "I've gotten hold of something neat. Drop by my lab later to pick it up."

"Okay! We were just about to head back home, too. See you in a while, professor!"

"What's going on," asked Leaf, closing up her notebook.

"Professor Elm said he has something neat," replied Lyra, hanging up the Pokégear. "Should we head out now to see what it is?"

Ethan, after saying his goodbyes to his mom, hung up his Pokégear and joined in the conversation.

"Why not? We still have to go there to get to the League, so might as well," he suggested. Leaf and Lyra nodded in agreement, everyone getting up to get their Pokémon. Of course, the fastest way there would be to fly. The three sent out their flying-type Pokémon, climbing on them and taking off into the sky. They headed south, New Bark Town already in view. In five minutes, the Pokémon descended and landed in the middle of town.

"Home sweet home," said Lyra, jumping off her Noctowl.

"Ethan! Lyra," yelled a familiar voice, everyone turning to see Kris.

"Kris! It's been a while!"

"Yeah, it really has. So, I heard you guys collected all eight badges?"

"You bet," replied Ethan, getting off Togekiss and joining with his friends. "It was tough, but we got through it."

"That's awesome! I knew you guys would be able to do it. I have to – Huh? Who's that?"

Kris peered over to see Leaf hopping off her Pidgeot, returning the large bird to his ball.

"Oh, that's Leaf," answered Lyra. "She's sort of our senpai. Leaf, this is our friend Kris."

"Hi," greeted Leaf happily, offering her hand for a handshake. "I joined up with your friends to help them against Team Rocket."

Kris shook her hand, stopping when realization struck her.

"Wait, aren't you the one who battled against Team Rocket in Kanto three years ago?"

"I guess everyone in Kanto and Johto know about that."

"Well, that was one heck of a feat! Oh, right, before I forget – Lyra, Ethan, the professor wants to see you. C'mon, let's go see him right now."

The group walked together to Professor Elm's lab, the man waiting patiently at the far end of the room. He smiled when everyone approached, his excitement obvious.

"Ethan, Lyra, you two never cease to amaze me," he began, his right hand gesturing to the computer behind him. "Thanks to you, my research is going great! I'd like you to have something as a token of my appreciation."

He turned around and opened a drawer at the computer desk, moving things around in the small compartment. After grabbing what he needed, he turned again, two violet pokéballs in each hand. It only took a moment for Leaf to recognize them, having once used a similar one three years ago, the same type of ball she used against the powerful Mewtwo.

"A Master Ball," she thought, watching her two juniors accept the rare pokéballs.

"This ball will catch anything without fail," explained the professor. "It's called the Master Ball. Only noted researchers can have them, but I'm sure you can put them to better use than I can."

"Thanks," said Ethan and Lyra, putting away the new gift in their bags.

"By the way, a group of beautiful Kimono Girls came by looking for you."

"They even mentioned that you guys helped them," added Kris with a grin. "And I bet they're not the only ones you helped."

"The Kimono Girls wanted me to tell you that they're waiting for you at the Ecruteak Dance Theater. It sounds really important, so you should get there as soon as you can."

"Aw, but we just got here," complained Lyra, disappointed she couldn't see her mom yet.

"You're all coming back, aren't ya," asked Kris, giving Lyra a reassuring smile. "You do plan to challenge the Elite Four, right?"

"Oh, yeah! Then I'll visit my mom and show her my Pokémon team!"

"Well, no use standing around and talking," said Leaf, heading for the door. "Time to go to Ecruteak City!"

Ethan and Lyra followed Leaf outside, using their flying-type Pokémon to get to Ecruteak. The trip from their hometown to the dance theater took a mere fifteen minutes. However, something unexpected happened… Or rather they unexpectedly met someone, and that someone bumped right into Lyra as the group were about to enter the dance theater. Before Lyra could voice her great displeasure of seeing him again – how could she be happy meeting him again after what he did in Goldenrod City? – she noticed that he looked distracted.

"How? How could I lose to mere Kimono Girls," he muttered. He finally looked up, noticing the group staring at him.

"You were all watching," he said, a hint of accusation in his tone.

"Silver, we just got here," explained Ethan, already annoyed. "Besides, we got better things to do, so don't start with your shit. Then again, watching the Kimono Girls wipe the floor with you would have been entertaining."

"Don't underestimate them. They're much tougher than they look."

"Let me guess: you made that mistake?"

"Ethan, lay off the guy already," interrupted Lyra, elbowing her friend.

"I assume you all came here for the same reason, right," asked Silver, now focusing on Lyra. "Don't get cocky just because you defeated Team Rocket!"

"Yeah, with no help from you," muttered Ethan under his breath.

"Silver, why did you challenge the Kimono Girls," asked Leaf, a curious look in her eyes. "I think your reasons might be different from ours."

"It was only to test myself," he replied, giving Leaf a stern look. "Our reasons are probably different, but it won't change the fact that they'll test your strength, too. So, go on ahead, try to defeat them!"

He shoved his way through the group and took a couple of steps, stopping a few feet away.

"But I'm not going back," he continued, looking down. "I don't want to see you win."

Silver ran off and headed for Route 37, the group watching him.

"The way he said that," began Lyra, Leaf and Ethan now looking at her. "It's like he knew that we're going to win. How can he know that?"

"Maybe he's finally realized that he's not all that great," shrugged Ethan, heading inside the theater. "Whatever it is, I don't really care."

"I doubt what Ethan said really is the answer," replied Leaf with a sigh. "My guess is that he _expects_ you and Ethan to win."

Lyra nodded, feeling that had to be right. After all, she and Ethan had won every battle against Silver. Since he couldn't defeat the Kimono Girls, it was to be expected that they could win. At that realization, Lyra's eyes seem to brighten.

"Does that mean he recognizes me as a good trainer," she thought to herself. "Before, even when I won, he made it seem like his loss was an accident."

Lyra and Leaf walked into the theater, seeing five women dressed in kimonos. Lyra stared at them for a moment before realizing that she had met every one of them at some point. Ethan was already standing on the stage, and Lyra ran up to see what was going on. Leaf, however, stood back, only being close enough to overhear the conversation.

"Welcome," began a Kimono Girl, standing in the middle of the stage. "My name is Zuki. I met you in Violet City."

"You were the one who asked about my Togepi egg, right," asked Ethan, remembering that day.

"Yes, that was me. In order to bring back Lugia and Ho-oh, we need someone with the right bond with Pokémon. We asked Mr. Pokémon to give the egg to whoever showed true potential. As you know, the egg was eventually handed from Mr. Pokémon to Professor Elm, and then to you, Ethan."

"So, that makes me the chosen one to bring back the legendary Ho-oh and Lugia?"

"In a sense, yes. However, being pure alone will not be sufficient to face the power of those Pokémon. While you are strong, you lack the true spirit of battle, one that she—" Zuki looked to Lyra "Has shown to possess."

"Me," asked Lyra, pointing to herself. "But, that can't be right! Ethan is smart, better at training, and—"

"Does not put his whole spirit into battling like you do," interrupted Zuki. "That is not to say that he isn't experienced with battling, nor does it say that you don't have a pure heart. You both possess each, but one trait is stronger in the other."

"No offense," began Ethan, adjusting his hat. "But how can you know that? How do you know that you're not making a mistake about us?"

"Are you doubting that you have a pure heart?"

"Uh, yeah, kinda. I mean, I've said and done some stuff that hurt others. I don't know about you but that doesn't sound like something a person with a pure heart would do."

"You did care that you hurt them in the first place, did you not? If you didn't, you would have held no remorse whatsoever for hurting them. Are you trying to tell me that you had no remorse, not even the faintest conscience, from inflicting pain upon someone?"

"No! Jeez, I'm not a sociopath or anything like that!"

"Lyra," said Zuki, looking at the young girl. "You have a strong spirit, one that has carried you on through the hardships of both your life and journey. The same can be said for Ethan's heart. What I'm trying to say is that we need both of you to help summon Ho-oh and Lugia."

Leaf looked on silently, though she was very surprised in her mind. She knew that her juniors were trainers full of potential but not to this degree. She never imagined that there was something far more special to them. And to think that they can even bring back the legendary birds of Johto!

"Can they… surpass Red and I," she asked herself, glancing at Lyra for a reaction.

The girl seemed to be in deep thought, most likely taking in everything Zuki had said.

"If you and Ethan need me, then I'll be more than happy to help," said Lyra, staring intently at Zuki. "To you, we're two sides of the same coin. Without one, you won't be able to call neither Lugia nor Ho-oh."

"That is very true," agreed Zuki. "However, I must add that we have to test you both. We have to make sure that you are ready to face Lugia and Ho-oh."

"Lyra, you go first," said Ethan, smiling at his friend. "I'll wait outside until you're done."

"Okay, I can handle it," she said, watching Ethan walk out. Lyra's eyes quickly glanced at Leaf, who was quietly watching. She figured that she was going to stay to see the outcome of the test.

"Are you ready," asked Zuki, reaching into her kimono sleeve to pull out a pokéball.

Lyra sent out her Quagsire and replied, "Yes."

"Then I shall test how closely you've bonded with your Pokémon!"

Zuki sent out an Umbreon, who snarled at Cascade. Cascade merely tilted her head curiously, oblivious to the intimidation.

"Earthquake," ordered Lyra, holding her ground.

The ground shook violently, Umbreon falling over. It quickly got back up, noticeably weakened.

"Confuse Ray," said Zuki, watching Umbreon summon an odd light. The light caused Cascade to get confused, and Lyra sighed in frustration. She didn't want to risk Cascade getting hurt by the confusion, so she quickly sprayed him with a Full Heal. Umbreon took the opportunity to use Dark Pulse, the dark energy pushing Cascade back a foot. The Umbreon then dashed forward, a ball of grayish-purple energy appearing right above its head.

"Finish it off with Ice Punch," said Lyra loudly. The Quagsire struck the Umbreon with a left jab, stopping it from using its attack. The dark-type was knocked to the ground, trying to get back up only for it to collapse again. Zuki returned Umbreon to its ball, a small smile on her face. The Kimono Girl stood back, letting the one on the far left take her place.

"You are quite strong," she commented, bowing. "You helped me in the Ilex Forest. My name is Naoko, the one that's not so good at directions."

Lyra nodded, remembering that Voltage helped show the Kimono Girl the way out in the forest.

"My eyes witnessed you defeating Team Rocket when Kurt was in trouble at the Slowpoke Well," she continued. "Allow me to challenge you and your Pokémon!"

Naoko sent out an Espeon, Cascade taking a battle stance for the new battle.

"Psychic," ordered Naoko calmly. Espeon's eyes and red orb glowed, the area around Cascade distorting slightly as she was hit by the telekinetic attack. The Quagsire endured it, but it did take a lot out of her.

"All right, Cascade! Earthquake should do it," said Lyra to her Pokémon. Cascade stomped on the ground, the area shaking violently as it did before. Espeon was unable to withstand it, collapsing to the ground with no energy left.

"Oh, you are truly strong," commented Naoko as she returned the faint Espeon to its ball. She walked back to her previous spot, letting the Kimono Girl on the far right take her place.

"You're quite the trainer," she began, bowing down in greeting. "I remember you and Ethan chasing off that Team Rocket grunt from here. I have to thank you again for that."

"Don't mention it," replied Lyra with a smile. "There was no way we'd stand by without doing anything."

"Although, I am actually a trainer. As the old proverb goes, 'She who knows the most speaks the least!' I am Miki –the Kimono girl! Allow me to challenge you and your Pokémon!"

Miki sent out a Flareon, and Lyra sighed in relief. This one shouldn't be too difficult to defeat with Cascade.

"Use Earthquake!"

Cascade made the area shake again, Lyra wondering to herself how much the theater can take before it came down. Thanks to the type-advantage, Flareon went down without a fight, much to Miki's dismay.

"You're good at Pokémon, too," she said with a sigh, calling back her Flareon. She walked away, letting the Kimono Girl to the left approach Lyra.

"Excellent fighting spirit," she complimented, causing Lyra to blush. "It's to be expected from one of the chosen. As you already know, we met when my sandals were stuck to the ice. Ethan was very kind to push me out of there. I am the Kimono Girl Sayo!"

"Nice to see you again," greeted Lyra, quickly glancing at her sandals to see their condition. They looked fine – maybe she bought new ones to replace the frozen ones?

"I was listening in the Dragon's Den when you passed the test of the elder. I must battle you after hearing that! Please, allow me to challenge you!"

Lyra nodded, and Sayo released a Jolteon from its pokéball. The Jolteon began by running around Cascade, illusory copies of itself making it seem there were more of them. Cascade looked all around, seeing a ring of Jolteon encircling it. She quickly shook her head, trying not to get dizzy from Double Team.

"Earthquake will take of it," yelled Lyra, hoping that this won't cause the theater to collapse.

Cascade stomped on the ground to unleash Earthquake, forcing the Jolteon to halt. It tried to keep its balance and endure it, but the attack proved too much for it as it fell to its side.

"Oh, I could have had you," said Sayo with disappointment. She called back Jolteon and stepped away, the last Kimono Girl walking up to meet the challenger.

"It seems I'm the last one," she said to Lyra. "You and your friends were so dependable at the Goldenrod Tunnel. My name is Kuni. I looked at you in wonder when you thwarted Team Rocket's mission to take over the Radio Tower. You must show your strength to me now! Allow me to challenge you and your Pokémon!"

Lyra watched the Kimono Girl send out a Vaporeon. She decided to have Cascade take a rest a bit and let Voltage handle it, so she switched out her Pokémon to have the Ampharos battle. The Vaporeon immediately charged ahead in a dash, tackling Voltage with Quick Attack.

"Voltage, use Discharge now!"

Voltage was initially caught off guard by the attack, but quickly gathered electricity. However, at close range, Vaporeon was faster to use Surf, creating a wave of water to crash against Voltage. The Ampharos was knocked back considerably, almost at the edge of the stage. She released the collected electricity on the Vaporeon, who managed to endure it. However, Lyra noticed that it was trembling, its body occasionally going stiff.

"Paralysis," she thought, remembering what she learned at that school in Violet City. "Which means…"

"Now, Voltage! Thunder Punch," she ordered, looking at her Pokémon. Voltage nodded and ran toward the paralyzed Vaporeon, her right flipper sparking with electricity. As Lyra watched, she saw that there was a hesitant step to the Ampharos' running, and she also caught the short delay before her Pokémon punched the Vaporeon with a right jab. She mentally shook her head, figuring she was just imagining it. Thunder Punch finished off the Vaporeon, finally ending the battle marathon. Kuni smiled as she returned Vaporeon to its ball, Zuki walking up to Lyra with a smile herself.

"We were not wrong about you," she told her. "Did you not notice it? How quick you were to deduce your opponents' weakness and fully aware of the capabilities of your Pokémon… You are indeed worthy of this. Please take it."

Zuki reached into her kimono sleeve and revealed a small, silver bell. Lyra extended her hand and watched Zuki place it in her open palm.

"That is the Tidal Bell," explained Zuki as Lyra shook it lightly to hear its gentle chime. "You're going to need it to call Lugia, the guardian of the seas."

Lyra stared at the bell, her heart racing just from the sight of it. Soon, she'll have to face Lugia. She only hoped that her spirit was strong enough to handle the legendary bird.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: This should have been updated a long time ago. Unfortunately, I've been too tired (or lazy) to work on it as often as I should. That and I've also been distracted by Pokemon Y. Awesome game, by the way. Anyway, back to the story, I've made this chapter really focus on Cascade because I noticed that she wasn't getting much "screen time" in the story, which is a shame because I think Quagsire is a cutie. Also, this is my attempt to unify HeartGold's and SoulSilver's storylines, and I hope that it's up to the readers' expectations. Though I'm sure you're glad that Lyra finally got a Pokemon to fill in that last spot in her team, and it's a Dratini. Scratch that - it's Extreme Speed Dratini! And I'm really liking the idea of the Pokemon Lyra has wanted for so long to start out hating her.**_


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